On 23.11.2023 at the Youth Home in Burgas аn information meeting on the topic “Raising a child with disabilities”, organized by the Regional Foster Care Teams and Hope and homes for children – Bulgaria, through the regional coordinators for the Burgas region. 32 participants were present – foster parents, heads of foster care services from the district, a representative of the Regional Directorate of Social Assistance and candidates for foster parents. During the meeting, the Head and the Administrator of the Regional Foster Care Teams Burgas presented the steps for the establishment of foster families, as well as the opportunities for changing their profile and the working conditions for raising children in families.
Kremena Stoyanova, national consultant on children’s policies at HHC – Bulgaria emphasized on the need to change the profile of foster parents, where they exist but no children are placed with them. This is a way to use them and be useful in raising children with disabilities because our society needs them now. New foster carers should also be sought because children with disabilities should have a chance of life not just in institutions. Even now there are children who need to be transitioned from the last Homes for medical and social care for children, but there are no foster families with the necessary profile. She presented many examples of successful foster parents and outlined profiles of children with disabilities that are to be brought forward. All the questions raised received competent answers and she declared the readiness of Hope and homes for children – Bulgaria to further support to foster parents.
