What is the Complex for Social Services for Children and Families (CSSCF) in Ruse?
The complex is delegated by the state to provide community services to support children and their families as an alternative to institutional care for children at risk. It was founded in 2005 under a project of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, “Welfare Reform for Children in Bulgaria”, financed mainly by the World Bank. From 2005 to 2009 the complex was managed by the “CARE” – Bulgaria and then its offshoot “EKIP”.
Equilibrium has been providing integrated services for children and families in the complex since 2009 and under EQ’s management, the complex has built a national reputation and international recognition as one of the most advanced practices in the care of children and families.
How can the Complex help? Find out here
A brief history of Ruse’s Complex of Social Services for children and families can be read here
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A human approach
“Recognizing the worthy aspects of your environment and learning to nurture them in a spirit of optimism and respect is a profoundly transformational experience. EQ teaches people to take personal responsibility for their own futures – it’s as simple as that.”
— Extracted from EQ’s mission statement
In the approach to any undertaking, attitude is everything. We try very hard to ensure that a spirit of humour and optimism pervades everything that we do. It energizes the team and rubs off on the clients. We seek a lightness of touch in our work and, in our early approach to the complex, we’ve set about defrosting all things clinical and replacing all things rigid with more malleable alternatives. Standards and guidelines are important but they need to be imbedded in a culture that runs on common sense and human responsiveness.
We have a variety of different characters within the extended EQ team and they express themselves in different ways. However, we share a conviction that shapes our approach. Among the children and families that we work with there is a common characteristic – relationships between individuals and the world around them are out of kilter. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with the individual that precludes inclusion and there’s no point in trying to change the world on a grand scale (using a sledgehammer to crack a nut). It’s a question of striking a balance between human needs and aspirations and achievable circumstances – creating Equilibrium.