Equilibrium (EQ) and Open Society Club (OSC) launch their “Foster Care Road-show”: On 24th February, EQ and OSC hosted a press conference in Ruse’s EU Information Office to announce our collaboration in the creation and implementation of an information campaign on the subject of foster care. It’s our ambition to both improve public awareness of what foster care entails (as opposed to adoption for instance) and to encourage would-be foster parents to come forward. Fortuitously, our initiative coincides with government deinstitutionalization policy as recently publicized which defines foster care as the principal alternative to institutional care.

Assisted by our media partners, Arena Media, we’ve developed a visual presentation (PowerPoint and video clips) that we will use in the context of a road-show that takes in something like 30 small towns and villages scattered across the Ruse administrative district. The development of this material was a real group effort and we’re very grateful to Iva, Mira and Plamena for their creative input that shaped the raw material into a campaign package that will be thoroughly tested and refined in the Ruse area before being transferred to Lovech region to form an essential part of our de-institutionalisation programme in that part of Bulgaria.

The mayors of the various towns and villages have been asked to assist by providing a venue and coordinating the distribution of posters and information leaflets in schools, kindergartens, post offices, pensioners’ clubs and other meeting places. Milena has been in charge of this coordination process and has done a fantastic job organizing visits to town halls so that details can be sorted out and updating a campaign schedule that grows and grows.

The formula was tested with considerable success in the village of Nikolovo where Iva led the presentation assisted by a substantial team from the complex. Team members mingled with the audience asking for feedback, providing contact details and answering questions. We’re confident that all those who attended now understand what foster care means in the Bulgarian context and some may be considering applying to become foster parents.

Iva is one of our three psychologists at the complex and her two colleagues – Lyuba and Yana – will share the responsibility of leading the presentations. Indeed, Eli, forever the volunteer, may try her hand at addressing a village audience. Loads of staff members have joined the traveling team making this the largest and most ambitious group effort ever undertaken at the Ruse complex. Our drivers, Gosho and Venci, will be kept busy!

Setting up a model for the closure of institutions for babies – Pilot Project, Teteven, Bulgaria: A joint venture of Equilibrium and Hope and Homes for Children, UK (experts in de-institutionalization in Central and Eastern Europe and Africa) Bulgaria has reduced the number of children in residential care but the total number of children without permanent parents has not changed much in recent years. Institutions for children under the age of five remain under the management and administration of the Ministry of Health. The availability of institutional care for children under five in addition to the lack of prevention and professional family support services represent a significant risk to national deinstitutionalisation plans. Baby homes represent one of the main entry points to the childcare system and can lead to long years of institutionalisation and increased developmental delays.

The project targets the closure of the institution for children under the age of 3, in Teteven and all children resident in the institution will be placed in family care based on their needs and with respect to their rights. Work will lead to the development of emergency placement services for children unable remain at home; the development of family support services preventing children to be separated from parents and families. The project will develop an implementation model for the closure of institutions for children under the age of 3.

Main activities:

• Preliminary situational analysis
• Gearing up: induction / detailed situational analysis / team consolidation / creation of communication and reporting routine: Teteven-Ruse-UK-Donor(s) / recruitment of social workers /
• Assessment: individual assessments of children and families / statement of needs / devise alternative care strategy
• Gate-keeping: work targeted at maternity hospitals that send children to Teteven Baby Home to stem the flow of infants into the system – step up in family support / prevention services (requisite technical support / training)
• Implementation of alternative care strategy for infants in home: (1) Putting in place effective family support measures to promote reintegration with biological parents / extended families (requisite technical support / training). (2) Establishing a foster care programme (training / technical support) (3) Establishing adoption as a last resort
• Development of Centre of Social Support (CSS): On the basis of a comprehensive needs analysis, establishing the operational basis of the new CSS
• Staffing & equipping the CSS. Setting the staffing regime, retraining baby home personnel, recruitment, establishing working relations with other child/family welfare and medical departments. Make recommendations regarding layout / equipping of new facility
• Consolidation of gate keeping measures. Ensure the local capacity for preventing the flow of babies / toddlers into the care system / Strengthen family support measures & community-based care.
• Apply for state delegated budget for 2011
• Formally close the institution
• The newly developed services operate at full capacity from January 2011

We estimate the project can be implemented over a period of 26 months.

Fundraising campaign: The Ruse complex for social services for children and families is, in our opinion, the best facility of its kind in Bulgaria. Alas, through shortage of funds, it lacks an outdoor play area. EQ is orchestrating a campaign to raise money for landscaping and the installation of a substantial play station. If you’d like to make a donation, please let us know by using our Contacts page.