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This video tells the story of Georgi, a boy born with Down's Syndrome in Bulgaria whose parents were told they wouldn't be able to care for him and were encouraged to place him in an orphanage. They placed him in an orphanage and were later supported by Hope and Homes for Children to have him returned to their care. Georgi's parents were connected to counseling and therapeutic services.
The main finding of this report from Disability Rights International (DRI) is that Bulgaria has replaced a system of large, old orphanages with newer, smaller buildings that are still operating as institutions. While the new facilities are officially referred to as “family-like” residences or “small group homes,” DRI’s investigation finds that they are neither small nor are they family homes. In fact, they are mostly 14 bed facilities. Many group homes are run by one local authority, leaving a few administrators responsible for dozens of children. In one case, DRI investigators observed…
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Experiences of abuse and violence have devastating consequences for children, and in some cases, these consequences are lifelong. Loss of trust, feelings of rejection and abandonment, trauma, fear, anxiety, insecurity, and shattered self-esteem are just some of the impacts of ill-treatment on the wellbeing of children. Consequences are far-reaching, extending well into adulthood, and they include increased prevalence of mental health issues, a higher likelihood of experiencing violence from a wider range of perpetrators and high socio-economic impacts and costs. Further,…
Abstract
This article reports the findings of a multi-country study of medical professionals' perceptions and evaluations of children. The primary aim of the study was to establish the perceptions medical professionals working in three Eastern European countries (Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova) hold toward children identified as “typical”, “at-risk” and “with disability”. A second aim was to explore the existence of country-level differences in medical professionals' perceptions of children. The third aim was to examine the pattern of associations between attitudes toward children and a change…
This country care review includes the care-related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Committees' recommendations on the issues relevant to children's care are highlighted, as well as other care-related concluding observations, ratification dates, and links to the Universal Periodic Review and Hague Intercountry Adoption Country Profile.
This article discusses Bulgaria's challenges since the shut down of its crowded institutions, which housed disabled children. Over the past six years, Bulgaria has built almost 150 homes to house disabled children. The new homes while a significant improvement face staffing challenges. Workers complain of low pay. There are also still reports of forced feeding of the children within the homes.
This report provides a summary of work undertaken by Lumos - together with governmental authorities, international partners, local medical professionals and families - to ensure that all children born with hydrocephalus receive the life-saving treatment they need, and which is their fundamental human right.
This report includes a definition of hydrocephalus and its impact on children. It describes the standard treatment and provides a case study that discusses Lumos' work in Bulgaria. The report includes a brief discussion of the situation in Europe where access to treatment is…
In this paper, Lumos reviews Bulgaria’s national strategy on deinstitutionalisation, adopted in 2010, and provides recommendations for ensuring the rights of children in the process. This paper has been written in the light of Bulgaria’s Universal Periodic Review. It outlines a set of recommendations which will ensure the deinstitutionalisation process in Bulgaria will meet the needs and respect the rights of all children involved and to help ensure that policy in this area is in line with Bulgaria’s international human rights commitments.
The paper describes the need for a child-centered…
This report presents a summary of progress in Lumos’ first three country demonstration programmes – the Republic of Moldova, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. The report focuses on the macro picture of systems change – presenting important indicators of success.
The report measures the reduction of numbers of children in institutions and the rise in the number of children in foster care in the demonstration programme locales in each of the three countries. The report also highlights other key developments at the national and local levels, such as the increase in inclusive education, the…
On 10 September 2014, UNICEF and the Permanent Mission of Bulgaria co-hosted a high level Lunchtime Discussion on The right of children below three years to live in a caring and supportive family environment: examples from Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.The discussion took place on the margins of the September meeting of the UNICEF Executive Board and brought together over 80 participants, including members of the UNICEF Executive Board, representatives of the Permanent Missions to the UN from the CEE/CIS region, international organizations, NGOs, high level UNICEF and…