2020 Annual Report on the Work of the for Our Children Foundation

MISSION The For Our Children Foundation provides professional social services to the most vulnerable young children by encouraging constant, secure and developing family relations. VISION Development and happy childhood for young children. CONTENTS Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Why is our work important ................................................................................................................................ 6 Complex for Early Childhood Development – a dream come true and more opportunities for the children and their families ............................................................................. 8 We achieved so much for children and families in Plovdiv .................................................... 15 The foster families in a year full of difficulties and challenges ............................................. 17 The transformation of the Children’s House ...................................................................................... 19 Our projects and initiatives help to protect children’s rights in Bulgaria ................... 21 Donations in a year marked by COVID-19 ........................................................................................... 25 The team – our most valuable asset ......................................................................................................... 31 Important moments from 2020 ................................................................................................................. 33 A focus on finance ................................................................................................................................................. 34 The donors .................................................................................................................................................................... 36 3 2020 ANNUAL REPORT obstacles. I often say that the in total because this is what IVANKA most difficult thing in Bulgaria is we work for: despite the high SHALAPATOVA, to do good! levels of child poverty, isolation, violence, abandonment, despair, Therefore, I would like to rejection and the fact that they PHD congratulate the Foundation are sometimes “invisible” in Chief Executive Officer team who turned 2020 into a historic year and the most our society, the CHILDREN are here, they are part of society and It is said that people “will be memorable since we began they have the right to and need known by their deeds”. We in 1992. I also thank all our for a harmonious and positive know that what matters is not supporters, the investors and how well we use words but the parents who have put their environment for development, what trace we leave behind trust in us. We achieved the to dream and to have a happy with our actions! objectives we set for ourselves childhood. To make sure that more than five years ago and Bulgaria will survive, we need If you are reading this, perhaps we did it against the backdrop adults committed to making sure you already know that the of the uncertainties thrust on us the children of our country thrive. For Our Children Foundation during the COVID-19 pandemic. is a unique organization What we share with you in And now I leave you with the bringing together committed this report demonstrates the story, the facts and evidence of professionals and enthusiastic valuable contribution of the the changes we’ve made and supporters. Together, we never civil society sector in bringing the happiness we feel in making waver in our determination to about democratic change in children’s lives meaningful, make sure that every single Bulgaria, encouraging respect our satisfaction in extending child in Bulgaria has an equal for children’s rights, as well as a helping hand to inspire and a strong start in life and is the role of the For Our Children confidence in a desperate parent, supported develop to their full Foundation as a genuine agent of to be a transparent partner potential. change. of a responsible company, to To achieve these goals, you need Reading the story of our propose wise policies to public the ability to dream, the courage achievements during the last institutions, to rejoice at the to confront the unknown, and year, you will notice that the word success of other civil society the persistence to withstand “development” appears at least organizations, and to be a mistrust, insults, and many other once on every page and 72 times successful change-maker! 4 childhood, more children needed their permanent families, the ASSOC. additional care, schoolchildren Children’s House welcomed its forgot the schoolroom habits first older children. We are also on PROFESSOR of sitting at a desk and raising the threshold of making another VELINA a hand to answer the teacher’s big dream come true, the question or playing non-virtual Early Childhood Development TODOROVA games. Complex in Plovdiv. Vice-Chair of the UN But this was a year in which Being a new member of the Child Rights Committee we also saw some good news Board of Trustees of the For Our because the Foundation Children Foundation, I am happy strengthened its leading role Member of the Board that I am joining an ambitious, in setting early childhood motivated, hardworking, and of Trustees of For Our development policy in Bulgaria. efficient professional community. Children Foundation We can be proud of our Let enthusiasm and commitment successful initiative Bulgaria to the cause never waver, let us Hello, dear colleagues and Grows with Its Children and take hardships as a challenge to friends, we will make further efforts to overcome together, and to have turn it into a government policy. more success stories like those of I cannot but start with the hard Hardships pressed us to seek new Emma, Victor, and Iveta. and unusual year when the opportunities so that we could pandemic changed our way of life reach out to more children at risk dramatically. We stayed home, and their parents. We developed isolated ourselves, put masks on, new programs including and our communication became emergency family help, online “unreal”. Children stopped going consulting, and new services to to school, to kindergarten, or to provide specialized assistance the sandbox to play. Parks, streets to children with developmental and shops looked deserted. The difficulties and disabilities and virus took over our lives and their parents. The Early Childhood added more risks to those we Development Complex, which we already knew - abandonment had been dreaming of, opened its of children continued, violence doors to its young clients in Sofia. and isolation changed their As we helped more children find 5 2020 ANNUAL REPORT WHY IS OUR WORK IMPORTANT? children waiting for their family of Bulgarian children aged 0-17 on the list of the adoption register, 33.3% are at risk of poverty or social 1,371 741 of who have disabilities or exclusion (Eurostat). developmental difficulties (as of 31 December 2020, ASA). children accommodated at Homes new cases of prevention of for Medical and Social Care for abandonment supported by social 408 Children – HMSCCs (31 December 3,781 services (31 December 2020, ASA). 2020, ASA). children living at HMSCCs, 150 of children successfully reintegrated in 290 whom are under three years of age 564 their own families after a period of (31 December 2020, ASA). separation (31 December 2020, ASA). children/young people child mortality rate compared to accommodated in Family Type 2,768 5.1‰ 3.4 ‰ in the European Union. Placement Centres. • Bulgaria lacks a comprehensive child welfare policy in general and an early childhood development policy in particular. • There are no early childhood development standards, despite the government commitment pursuant to the Pre-School and School Education Act. • Poverty and the lack of support from close relatives as well as from a well-functioning system of social services are among the most frequent reasons for child abandonment. • The large number of children accommodated at HMSCCs and the subsequent negative impact on their development is a cause for concern. • Services to support families with young children, especially those aged 0-3, are underdeveloped. 6 IN 2020, WE PROVIDED DIRECT HELP TO 2,307 CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND SPECIALISTS, OUT OF WHOM: children, families, and specialists participated in 1,617 trainings at the Social Services Centres in Sofia and Plovdiv: newborn babies were rescued children in Social Care whose 22 from abandonment; 22 socialization skills we supported; families were supported to children received love and care in 277 prevent the risk of separation; 33 foster families; children and parents were involved in the Early children found a temporary home at 154 Childhood Development 12 the Children’s House; Programme; children with developmental families were supported difficulties received day care at the 131 during pandemic-related crisis; 20 “Development” Centre; children and parents received highly people participated in parental specialized therapeutic support at skills training and training 270 58 the Community Support Centre groups; “Happy Childhood”; children and parents children and families were were supported through 47 involved in the Reintegration 690 consultations thanks to the Programme; financial assistance from the Human Safety Net Foundation. • We develop alternative care in a family environment for children

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