“Regional approach in the realization of childcare reform in Smolyan region”

Duration: February 2010 - December 2012

Financing: Oak Foundation and "Lord Michelham of Hellingly" Foundation- Switzerland.

Objective: Support the process of deinstitutionalization and the complete reform of childcare in the region of Smolyan by developing accessible services, which meet the needs of children and their families and which contribute preventing the institutionalization, the violence and social exclusion and create conditions for successful social integration.

Specific objectives:

1. Increasing public awareness on the issues, related to children and families at risk. Greater involvement of the public in respecting children rights, supporting new services that fight child abuse and the social inclusion of children with disabilities.
2. Building a partners' network for advocacy at a municipal and district level, improving the coordination and implementation of a multidisciplinary approach to support children and youth at risk.
3. Providing an environment in administrative structures, working with children in the region of Smolyan, that favors the prevention of child abuse by introducing inter-organizational policies, procedures and standards for child protection;
4. Developing Community support centers in the municipalities of Zlatograd, Rudozem Devin and Dospat.
5. Developing Daycare centers for children and youth with disabilities in the municipalities of Dospat and Rudozem.

Target groups:

• Children with disabilities and their families, children at risk and their families, in different communities in the Smolyan region
• Professionals working with children in the region

Expected results

• Developed and implemented communication strategy.
• Developed network around the new services: 7 Signed Partnership Agreements; 5 protocols for inter-institutional work established between state institutions at a local level and the municipal administrations in Smolyan, Devin, Rudozem, Zlatograd and Dospat; 3 round tables held with professionals on issues of child abuse and domestic violence, the rights of children with disabilities, social work with children and families at risk.
• Fully furnished and equipped Community Support Centers in the municipalities Devin, Rudozem, Zlatograd and Dospat meeting all standards for social services for children and all sanitary-hygienic requirements.
• Fully furnished and equipped Day care Centers for children and youths with disabilities in the municipalities of Rudozem and Dospat, meeting all the standards for the provision of social services for children and all their sanitary-hygienic requirements.
• The staff of the services is carefully recruited and trained:
  • 44 professionals were selected and appointed to work in the Services
  • The staff of each type of service has undergone 15 days initial training and 10 days continuous education for the second and third year of the project.
  • The staff received regular methodological consultations and supervisions;
  • 4 meetings were held to exchange experience between the Community Support centers and 4 meetings for the teams of the Daycare centers.
• Developed internal policy of ISS-Bulgaria on child abuse prevention. Developed and introduced policies and rules for child abuse prevention for the Child Protection Department of the Smolyan municipality, applied as pilot in a mainstream school and a residential institution for children 7-15 – in Shiroka Luka, Smolyan.