SOCIAL INCLUSION PROJECT EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND 2007 – 2013 MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL POLICY HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME INVESTS IN YOUR FUTURE! Project BG051PO “Development of Transnational Network for Supporting Children and Families and for Deinstitutionalization of Child Care”. The project is financially supported by the Human Resource Development Operational Programme 2007 – 2013, co-funded by the European Social Fund of the European Union

Ministry of Labour and Social Policy implements the Social Inclusion Project funded by a loan from the International Bank for Development and Cooperation (World Bank) worth EUR (BGN ). The implementation of the project started in August 2010 and the completion of services is planned for 30 th September Up until now the absorption rate under the SIP is total of BGN , of which BGN are loan money (77% of the credit) and BGN municipal funding.

Objectives of the Project This project implementation provides for an introduction of an entirely new and integrated approach to childcare. It helps to build a network of integrated services for early child development with a purpose to apply an innovative and high quality model of childcare. Under the Social Inclusion Project new types of services for children and families are established in 66 municipalities in the country – for early child development, for prevention of risks in early childhood, for better coverage and improved readiness of children to be included in education, for advancement of the family environment, etc.

Project Components Component 1. Integrated social services and services related to childcare worth EUR million, which are used to finance municipalities as beneficiaries committed to provide services to children aged 0 to 7 and to their parents. Building of infrastructure is financed – construction works and refurbishment, equipment and materials as well as training of the service providers. Component 2. Capacity building is funded with EUR 0.55 million, which is earmarked for improvement of capacity of the local authorities to provide integrated services for early child development. Other activities financed under this Component relate to impact assessment, auditing and assistance in implementation.

Target Groups under the Project Children at risk aged 0 to 7 Children from vulnerable ethnic backgrounds, in particular Roma Children whose parents are unemployed Children whose parents are beneficiaries of social welfare payments Children who have no personal GP or whose personal P is not a pediatrician Children whose parents have no health insurance Children who do not attend a kindergarten or do not use any other childcare service Children whose parents do not look properly after them Disabled children Children with health condition

Target Groups under the Project Parents of children aged between 0 and 7 years Parents from vulnerable ethnic backgrounds, Roma in particular Parents who are beneficiaries of social welfare payments Parents who are unemployed Parents of three and more children Single parents Future parents from vulnerable groups Parents (mainly mothers) at risk age Parents of disabled children Parents of children with health issues Parents of children at high risk (learning or developmental problems, etc.) Parents with no health insurance Parents who do not look properly after their children Parents with low education status or no education at all Parents experiencing poor living conditions

Services under the Project Services depending on the age of the children : - Services for children aged 0 to 3 and their parents - Services for children aged 3 to 7 and their parents Implementation of multidisciplinary and integrated approach Using methods of mobile field work Recruitment of mediators from the vulnerable groups as team members

Types of Services Development of parenting skills Early intervention in regard to impairments through establishment of Disabilities Early Intervention Centre Individual educational support for disabled children work Family counselling and support Health counselling for children Additional support for equal opportunities at school Reduced nursery fees Integration of children in kindergartens and preschool classes Monitoring of the readiness to school enrollment Family centres for children 0 to 3 and 3 to 7 years of age Babysitters

Services for children aged 0 to 3 and their parents (1) 1. Development of parental skills through:  Setting up counselling groups and support for future parents from vulnerable groups in order to help them acquire knowledge and skills needed in raising children, creation of positive family environment, using the necessary networks of services after the child is born  Setting up counselling groups and support for parents of children aged 0 to 3 years in order to improve their knowledge and skills to raise children and create proper family and community environment for the growth of the child  Setting up joint groups of current and future parents with a purpose of sharing experience, problems, possible solutions and better understanding of the child’s needs by the parents depending on the child’s age  Individual work with current and future parents, which add up to the counselling and creates practical childcare skills

Services for children aged 0 to 3 and their parents (2) 2. Establishing a Disabilities Early Intervention Centre :  Training of medical doctors on how to tell parents that their child has an impairment  Individual visits to others in the maternity wards in order to provide counselling and support  Working with the parents and the child at the Disabilities Early Intervention Centre focusing on their inclusion in individual and group activities – rehabilitation, counselling and other activities, which are meant to prevent abandonment of the child  Regular visits of the mobile team at the parents’ home for monitoring of the child’s development, support of the child and counselling of the parents

Services for children aged 0 to 3 and their parents (3) 3. Family counseling and support through:  Individual and group sessions on family planning focusing on information, counselling and training  Individual and group sessions for parents, who fail to look properly after their children in order to provide support for better environment where children are raised 4. Healthcare counselling through setting up offices for health counselling and monitoring of the health condition, emotional and psychological development of the child and for mobile work in the community 5. Full or partial payment of the nursery fees

Services for children aged 3 to 7 and their parents(1) 1. Integration of children at the kindergartens and preschool classes :  Working (individually or in group format) with the integrated children for their enhanced adaptation to the new environment and provision of additional support to learn the material, if necessary, including knowledge of Bulgarian language  Working with parents of the integrated children in order to preserve their motivation for inclusion of their children in the integration process and better preparation at preschool and school stage  Working with the parents of other children who are not the direct target group under the project for acceptance of these children, overcoming the discriminatory attitudes and stereotypes, etc.  Joint work with al parents for mutual adaptation, acceptance of children and parents as part of the community  Free transport for parents of the included children  Full or partial payment of the kindergarten fees

Services for children aged 3 to 7 and their parents (2) 2. Family counselling and support through :  Setting up groups for counselling and support of parents whose children are aged 3 tо 7 in order to create better family environment, more effective parenting and better parenting skills, family planning, motivation for getting children enrolled in kindergartens and later in school, sharing problems and looking for solutions, etc.  Individual and group counselling of parents who take good care of their children in order to see better environment for raising their children  Counselling of the children in order to provide them with individual support for enrollment in a kindergarten and preschool classes in case that they live in a risky family environment, which represents a threat to their further development, etc.

Services for children aged 3 to 7 and their parents (3) 3. Health counselling through setting up health care offices for monitoring of the health status, emotional and psychological development of the children, teaching health culture for children and their parents, mobile work in the community 4. Additional sessions for school preparation trough setting up summer groups/camps for additional learning for children from vulnerable groups prior to first school grade 5. Individual support for disabled children in order to get them included in the schooling process

Community Center for Children and Families A form of integrated delivery of services under the project Includes all services or at least over 70% of them Targets both age groups of the children Offers a combination of counselling and support services for direct childcare Considerable investments in infrastructure, incl. building and/or renovation of nurseries and kindergartens

Helping Professionals Involved in the Services under the Poject Services are provided by multidisciplinary teams including : Pediatrician; Gynecologist; Nurse; Midwife; Psychologist; Physical therapist; Speech therapist; Special teacher; Social worker; Social teacher; Mainstream teacher; Lawyer; Mediator. Services coordinator !!!The work is performed simultaneously with the children and their parents.

Eligible Investments Investments in construction and renovation works related to the services under the project in order to reach capacity for provision of more services under the project, incl. renovation and reconstruction of existing nurseries and kindergartens as well as building new facilities – in 31 municipalities are opened new paces in nurseries and kindergartens (184 places in nurseries and in kindergartens); Investments in equipment, incl. special items for provision of services; Purchase of vehicles equipped for disabled children and adults.

Indicators for Reporting the Outcomes of the Project Name of the IndicatorValue Number of children aged 3 to 7 who have been enrolled in kindergartens and preschool groups as a result of the project implementation 2578 Number of disabled children or children with special educational needs who have been enrolled in kindergartens and preschool groups as a result of the project implementation 167 Number of newly opened places in kindergartens and preschool groups as a result of the project implementation 1551 Number of newly created place (venues) for delivery of integrated services for social inclusion as a result of the project implementation 108 Number of children aged 0 to 7 who have benefited from Health Counselling Service 6000