Implementation period: April 2015 – June 2015
Funding: Bulgarian – Swiss Cooperation Programme – “Reform Fund linked to Civil Society Participation”
Role of the organization: subcontractor; The project is implemented by the National Network for Children, in partnership with Association “Child and Space” and Institute of Population and Human –Studies
Precis
Despite the efforts of lobbyists and past signs of political will, Bulgaria lacks a legal definition of family support and a coherent approach to supporting families with young children. Social services for children and families fall under the umbrella of Child Protection and they are not adequately coordinated with other areas of public service that impact on the well-being of children and families
Objective
To give impetus to the process of adopting a comprehensive family-oriented approach that focuses on support to parents and that affects a wide range of areas – socio-economic measures, education, health, housing, child protection and other .
Methods
Advocacy campaign: interactive sessions with members of Roma community; comprehensive interviews with professionals from spheres of education, social services, health & employment
Expected results
Analysis of existing Bulgarian practices measured against EC normative practice + feasibility of implementing these more coherent and comprehensive practices in the Bulgarian context.
Identification of the range of attitudes and expectations of Bulgarians on family policy by including an analysis of 10 focus groups and 20 interviews.