Reform of the Child Care Reform of the Child Care SystemSystem::

DEINSTUTIONALISATIONDEINSTUTIONALISATION – –MAJOR PRIORITY IN THE MAJOR PRIORITY IN THE

STATE POLICYSTATE POLICY

3-6 3-6 JulyJuly 2007 2007

State Agency for Child ProtectionState Agency for Child Protection

State Agency for Child State Agency for Child ProtectionProtection

State Agency for Child ProtectionState Agency for Child Protection

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

ДОВДЛРГ

ДДМУИ

ДМСГД

Общо

State Agency for Child State Agency for Child ProtectionProtection

ICDPC

To 1000 children on 4 - 18 years, in 20015.3 children lived in ICDPC, and in 2006 the figure was 4,12 children, taking account of the demographic tendencies, the reduction is about 22 %.

State Agency for Child State Agency for Child ProtectionProtection

IMRCYP and ICYPPD

To 1000 children on4 - 18 years, in 20011,4 children lived in IMRCYP and ICYPPD, and in 2006 the figure was 1,04 children, taking account of the demographic tendencies, the reduction is about 26 %.

State Agency for Child State Agency for Child ProtectionProtection

IMSCC

To 1000 children on 4 - 18 years, in 200113,6 children lived in IMSCC, and in 2006 the figure was 9,9 children, taking account of the demographic tendencies, the reduction is about 27 %.

State Agency for Child State Agency for Child ProtectionProtection

HOW DID WE ACHIEVE THATHOW DID WE ACHIEVE THATTOOLS AND APPROACHESTOOLS AND APPROACHES

• Adoption of plan for reducing the number of children, placed in specialised institutions 2003 - 2005;

•2004 – Conducting an assessment of the specialised institutions;

• Development and adoption of Mechanism for closure, reforming and restructuring of the specialised institutions for children;

• Establishment of methods for drafting of institutional projects;

• Training on the methods of the regional teams in all regions;

Plan for reducing the number of children, placed in specialised

institutions 2003 - 2005..

Major objectives

• To decentralise the institutions and to increase the quality of the child care in them;

•To develop local network of community based services.

Plan for reducing the number of children, placed in specialised

institutions 2003 - 2005

General goals and tasks • Development of alternative forms of care and social Community based services;• Narrowing of the entrance to institutions; •Increasing the quality of the institutional care; •Regulation of the exit of institutions and reducing the number of children who pass from one institution to another; •Restructuring of the specialised institutions and allocation of part of their resources to alternative services provision in the community for the children and their families. •The Plan contains also a line of urgent measures related to development of the child protection departments’ capacity, which should perform activities directly connected to reducing the number of children in institutions as: prevention of abandonment and reintegration of children in their biologic families, provision of foster care services, etc.

Assessment of the specialised institutions 2004

• Objective: Assessment of the technical-material and human resource of the institutions and quality of the child care they provide; • Tools: “Assessment card for the specialised institutions for children”, prepared by SACP experts and approved by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Science and Social Assistance Agency;• Additional methods for collection of information used by the commissions were reviews of the papers kept in the institutions, interviews of the directors and members the staff, talks with the children, as well as complete monitoring and inspection of the technical material equipment. • The assessment was conducted by interinstitutional commissions chaired by experts from SACP and representatives of the Regional Social Assistance Directorate, Social Assistance Directorate, Regional Inspectorate on Education, Regional Healthcare Centres and municipal administrations;

Assessment of the specialised institutions 2004

• Reports were prepared for the status of each of the assessed institutions in which the institution location, access to social and health services, technical material equipment, quality of the child care, number, qualification of the staff as well as the opinion of the staff regarding institution reformation were given in details;• Conclusions and recommendations were drawn regarding care quality improvement and possibilities for reforming and restructuring;Summary reports for the status of the three types of institutions were prepared;The reports were presented to the attention of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Minister of Health and Minister of Education and Science, as well as to the Minister of Labour and Social Policy;Important part of the assessment were the conclusions about the quality of the care, problems in them, and concrete recommendations on the improvement of the quality of the child care.

Development of Mechanism for closure, reforming and restructuring

Basic steps:

• Assessment of the institutions for children by interinstitutional commissions;• The interinstitutional commissions at sub national level apply the criteria for closure, reforming and restructuring of the specialised institutions for children for every institution on territory of the region;• The commission should make a proposal for closure of the institutions which were assessed with less than the minimum admissible number of points;• A development plan should be prepared together with the staff of the institutions assessed with number of points exceeding the minimum admissible number of points;

ASSESSMENT OF THE INSTITUTIONS BY ASSESSMENT OF THE INSTITUTIONS BY APPLIYNG THEAPPLIYNG THE MECHANISM FOR

CLOSURE, REFORMING AND

RESTRUCTURING Apart from the qualitative dimension, the assessment had Apart from the qualitative dimension, the assessment had also quantitative dimension through developed and put into also quantitative dimension through developed and put into practise points system. The first criteria direction - practise points system. The first criteria direction - institutions location and access to them – might be institutions location and access to them – might be assessed with maximum of 30 points; the second dimension assessed with maximum of 30 points; the second dimension – technical and material equipment might be assessed with – technical and material equipment might be assessed with maximum of 25 points and the third dimension - quality of maximum of 25 points and the third dimension - quality of the child care might be assessed with maximum 45 points. the child care might be assessed with maximum 45 points. The criteria were The criteria were initially approbated initially approbated and it was approved and it was approved thatthat the minimum admissible number of points for the the minimum admissible number of points for the institutions was 40. Institutions assessed with less than 40 institutions was 40. Institutions assessed with less than 40 points total should be proposed for closure.points total should be proposed for closure.

CRITERIA FOR CLOSURE, CRITERIA FOR CLOSURE, REFORMING AND RESTRUCTURINGREFORMING AND RESTRUCTURING

Institutions location and access to them • Number of population – maximum 5 points.• Infrastructure – maximum 10 points.• Transport and communications – maximum 15 points.

Technical material equipment • Enough number and room of the premises – maximum 8 points.• Condition of the building – maximum 12 points.• Quality of the equipment/furniture – maximum 5 points.

Quality of the child care • Health care – maximum 9 points.• Response to education and training needs – maximum 9 points.• Individual child care – maximum 9 points.• Opportunities for social integration and adaptation of the children –

maximum 9 points.• Activities to rebuild and keep in touch with the parents – maximum 9

points.

REFORMINGREFORMING

Reforming should be understand as improving the Reforming should be understand as improving the quality of the institutional care and opening of the quality of the institutional care and opening of the institution for provision of alternative social child institution for provision of alternative social child care services.care services.

REFORMINGREFORMING

Criteria, which institutions must meetCriteria, which institutions must meet:: Necessity of the services provided (institutional care and alternative Necessity of the services provided (institutional care and alternative

servicesservices);); Access to the location site and availability of appropriate transport and Access to the location site and availability of appropriate transport and

communicationscommunications;; Well developed health and education services in the region and Well developed health and education services in the region and

municipalitymunicipality;; Enough specialists for work with children availableEnough specialists for work with children available;; Tendency to reducing the number of the children in the institutionTendency to reducing the number of the children in the institution;; Good interaction between CPD and the institutionGood interaction between CPD and the institution; ; concept for future concept for future

development of the institution, included in the municipal strategydevelopment of the institution, included in the municipal strategy;; Technical-material equipment to allow development of social servicesTechnical-material equipment to allow development of social services;; Positive attitude and readiness for reforms of the staff in compliance Positive attitude and readiness for reforms of the staff in compliance

with the modern standardswith the modern standards..

RESTRUCTURINGRESTRUCTURING

Restructuring should be understand as Restructuring should be understand as allocation of the available resource to provision allocation of the available resource to provision of alternative community based social child of alternative community based social child care services.care services.

RESTRUCTURINGRESTRUCTURING

CriteriaCriteria:: Access to the location site and availability of appropriate Access to the location site and availability of appropriate

transport and communicationstransport and communications;; Necessity of the alternative services provided and Necessity of the alternative services provided and

willingness of the society to develop such serviceswillingness of the society to develop such services;; Availability of specific human resources Availability of specific human resources ((social workerssocial workers, ,

speech therapistspeech therapistss, , psychologistspsychologists), ), as well as qualified as well as qualified specialistsspecialists;;

Permanent tendency to reducing the number of children, Permanent tendency to reducing the number of children, placed in the institution and opportunity for reintegration placed in the institution and opportunity for reintegration and placing the children with foster familiesand placing the children with foster families;;

Technical-material equipment to allow development of Technical-material equipment to allow development of alternative servicesalternative services..

CLOSURECLOSURE

Closure should be understand asshould be understand as final termination of the activities of the concerned institution.

CLOSURECLOSURE

CriteriaCriteria:: RemotenessRemoteness and and isolation of the location site, isolation of the location site,

lack of communications and infrastructurelack of communications and infrastructure;; Lack of enough health and education servicesLack of enough health and education services;; Lack of qualified staff in the institution, location Lack of qualified staff in the institution, location

site and the regionsite and the region;; Poor technical-material equipmentPoor technical-material equipment;; Unsatisfactory level of the care qualityUnsatisfactory level of the care quality..

CLOSURECLOSURE

Closure Plan, Closure Plan, containing clear terms should be containing clear terms should be elaborated for institutions which should be elaborated for institutions which should be closedclosed;;

The objectives, measures and activities are in The objectives, measures and activities are in two basic directions: regarding the children and two basic directions: regarding the children and regarding the staffregarding the staff;;

CPDCPD produces proper assessment and produces proper assessment and elaborates action plan for each childelaborates action plan for each child;;

The institution shall be closed when appropriate The institution shall be closed when appropriate alternative for every child is foundalternative for every child is found;;

RESULTS FROM THE ASSESSMENT RESULTS FROM THE ASSESSMENT OF THE INSTITUTIONS BY APPLIYNG OF THE INSTITUTIONS BY APPLIYNG

OF THEOF THE CRITERIA SeptemberSeptember – – OctoberOctober 2006 2006

144 144 institutions for children assessedinstitutions for children assessed;; 6 6 institutions proposed for closure institutions proposed for closure - - 5 5 ICDPCICDPC andand 1 1 IMRCYPIMRCYP;;118 118 institutions proposed for reforminginstitutions proposed for reforming - - 65 65 ICDPCICDPC; 22 ; 22 IMRCYPIMRCYP; 31 ; 31 IMSCCIMSCC;;20 20 institutions proposed for institutions proposed for restructuringrestructuring - 16 - 16 ICDPCICDPC; 3 ; 3 IMRCYPIMRCYP; 1 ; 1 IMSCCIMSCC..

REGIONAL TRAININGSREGIONAL TRAININGS “ “MONITORING OF THE MONITORING OF THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILDRIGHTS OF THE CHILD” ”

drafting of institutional projects for drafting of institutional projects for development of the institutions for children in development of the institutions for children in

the whole countrythe whole country

AprilApril - - MayMay 2007 2007

How was the process structured and implementedHow was the process structured and implemented??

ResultsResults, , conclusionsconclusions, , proposalsproposals..

Preparatory stage and creation of Preparatory stage and creation of supportive environment for process supportive environment for process

implementationimplementation Drafting of Instructions for closure, reforming and restructuring of the specialised institutions for children. Drafting of joint project of SACP, SAA and UNICEF on the deinstutionalisation. Training of experts from SACP and outdoor experts on application of the methods for drafting of institutional projects. Regional trainings. Organisation of the process and gathering of regional team to RDSA to prepare and manage institutional projects. Consultation, provision of expert support and assistance.

Major objectives

To describe the logic of the process of drafting To describe the logic of the process of drafting institutional projects, to outline the project framework institutional projects, to outline the project framework and mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation. and mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation.

To achieve common understanding on concepts such To achieve common understanding on concepts such as “reforming”, “restructuring” and “closureas “reforming”, “restructuring” and “closure”.”.

To assess the needs of the community to develop To assess the needs of the community to develop various services for children and families. various services for children and families.

To identify the major interested parties and partners in To identify the major interested parties and partners in the process. the process.

Results from the trainingsResults from the trainings

Distribution of the representatives from institutions and organizations, involved in the training

26,3%

31,6%3,9%7,2%

12,3%

18,7%

DSA / CPD Child Homes RCH RDSP NGO Municipalities

Results from the trainingsResults from the trainings Practical resultsPractical results

Framework models were elaborated and basic stages of the Framework models were elaborated and basic stages of the institutional projects for different types of institutions were marked.institutional projects for different types of institutions were marked. Framework model was elaborated and basic arrangements and Framework model was elaborated and basic arrangements and activities of the closure plan were marked. activities of the closure plan were marked. Motivated regional teams were formed to prepare and manage the Motivated regional teams were formed to prepare and manage the projects.projects. Local teams were structured on the territory of 86 municipalitiesLocal teams were structured on the territory of 86 municipalities. . Analysis models for children at risk and their needs were Analysis models for children at risk and their needs were elaborated in the municipalitieselaborated in the municipalities.. Schedule plan model for the work of the regional and local teams Schedule plan model for the work of the regional and local teams were draftedwere drafted.. Future activities were defined.Future activities were defined.

Results from the trainingsResults from the trainings

Effectiveness of the trainingsEffectiveness of the trainings Harmonisation of the information and Harmonisation of the information and understanding regarding the national priorities understanding regarding the national priorities and strategic goals of the work with children at and strategic goals of the work with children at risk. risk. Accelerating the process of reforming and Accelerating the process of reforming and restructuring of the institutions. restructuring of the institutions. Updating municipal policies for provision of Updating municipal policies for provision of services to children and families in the services to children and families in the community on the basis of assessment of the community on the basis of assessment of the local services and children at risk on the local services and children at risk on the territory of the municipalityterritory of the municipality.. Enriching and development of the capacity of Enriching and development of the capacity of the participants in the child protection systemthe participants in the child protection system..

Results from the trainingsResults from the trainings

Effectiveness of the trainingsEffectiveness of the trainings Achieving clarity on many issues related to Achieving clarity on many issues related to projects organisation and differentiating the role projects organisation and differentiating the role of various authorities, as a precondition for of various authorities, as a precondition for good planning and implementation of the good planning and implementation of the projects.projects. Improved interinstitutional cooperation on Improved interinstitutional cooperation on regional level through extended exchange of regional level through extended exchange of information between experts from different information between experts from different institutions working in the field of child careinstitutions working in the field of child care.. Reducing the stress and the strain of the Reducing the stress and the strain of the people working with children at riskpeople working with children at risk. .

EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CHILD EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEMPROTECTION SYSTEM

ForFor 2006 2006 the CPD social workers have the CPD social workers have worked over worked over 33 792 792 cases of prevention cases of prevention of placement in institutionof placement in institution. 2. 2 042042 from from the cases were successfully completed. the cases were successfully completed. The social workers have worked over The social workers have worked over 33 149 149 cases of reintegrationcases of reintegration. . 1 509 1 509 children were successfully reintegrated children were successfully reintegrated in their biologic families and 634 in their biologic families and 634 children – were adoptedchildren – were adopted..

EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEMCHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM

For 2006 the number of children placed with For 2006 the number of children placed with families of their relatives or friends is families of their relatives or friends is 11 955 955 or or with with 200 200 more in comparison to the previous more in comparison to the previous yearyear..

Total number of children placed with families Total number of children placed with families of their relatives or friends in Bulgaria is 5 536 of their relatives or friends in Bulgaria is 5 536 until until 3131//1212//2006.2006.

Day centres to institutionsDay centres to institutions

There are day centres for children with There are day centres for children with disabilities todisabilities to 18 18 IMSCCIMSCC. .

Of total number ofOf total number of 28 28 IMRCYP in the IMRCYP in the countrycountry, , day centres were opened to day centres were opened to 4 4 of of them.them. Their capacity is Their capacity is 80 80 placesplaces..

SinceSince 1 1//11//2007 2007 IMRCYPIMRCYP “ “Viara, Nadezhda i Viara, Nadezhda i LyubovLyubov" " in Pazardzhik was restructured in in Pazardzhik was restructured in day centre for children with disabilitiesday centre for children with disabilities..

Week and day careWeek and day care – – servicesservices, , provided in institutionsprovided in institutions

Up to Up to 3131/12//12/2006 2006 in IMSCC there were 30 children in IMSCC there were 30 children directed to week care and 267 children directed directed to week care and 267 children directed to day careto day care;;

Up to Up to 3131/12//12/2006 2006 in ICDPCin ICDPC there were there were 296 296 children directed to week care and children directed to week care and 112 112 children children directed to day caredirected to day care;;

Up to Up to 3131/12//12/20062006 in institutions in institutions for children with for children with disabilities there were disabilities there were 30 30 children directed to children directed to week care and week care and 42 42 children directed to day carechildren directed to day care;;