ONE STEP FURTHER

WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM DI IN BULGARIA AND HOW TO DEVELOP PREVENTIVE

SERVICES IN COOPERATION WITH MUNICIPALITIES

RADOSTINA PANEVA SOS CHILDREN`S VILLAGES INTERNATIONAL OFFICE CEE/CIS

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Content

Background information Process Practical steps Examples

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Some statistic

Type of institutions Number of children in 2001 ( action plan )

Number of children mid of 2013 (monitoring report )

homes for medico-social care for children aged 0-3

3563 1378 ( 30 )

homes for children deprived of parental care aged from 3 to 18 years

7145 1638 ( 57 )

homes for children with mental retardation and 1 home for children with physical disabilities

1905 1184 ( 24 )

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The beginning: 14 years ago

Reformation of the system and need of preventive services

Pilot projects – good practices in new services Contributing to legal framework Capacity building Service provision – however services isolated and in

parallel

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Why cooperation between NGOs and Municipality

Know – how of NGOs Flexibility of NGOs Project funding does not allow long-term

development for the social services Municipalities as contracting authorities

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Provision of preventive services

Social services do not include education, healthcare, etc.

Social service providers can be NGOs, companies or individuals

All providers of social services (except municipalities) have to register in a registry

Services for children need a license Social services could be contracted by the

municipalities

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Possible mechanism :Social contracting

Role of the State : delegates the provision of social services but continues to have the obligation for the service:• Funding;

• Control of the spending;

• Control of the quality of the service.

Role of the Municipality: contracting authority and provision of the services

Role of the NGOs: provision of the services

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Planning, Funding, Evaluation criteria

Planning • Decision of different levels: Municipality – Agency of social support –

Ministries

• In line with regional strategy

Funding• Signal standard

• Social services funded by State or local budget

Evaluation• Set of criteria: capacity, experience, financial stability

Contracting • Scope, price, rights of parties, reporting and monitoring

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Examples of preventive services

Complex for social service for families and children

Center for social support Mother and baby Units Center for social rehabilitation and

integration

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Example from SOS CV Bulgaria

Family strengthening service open with financial support of EU – PHARE project

Cooperation with Child protection departments Assess needs of this service Open the call and contracting

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Renewal of De-I in 2009

Strategic framework:• National strategy “Vision for de-institutionalisation of

children in Bulgaria”, approved by Ministry Council

• Action plan, including projects Inter-ministerial working group and expert group Participation of NGOs:

• Monitoring bodies

• Implementation of projects

• Providing of services

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Project “Direction – Family’

De-I of 2050 babies from 32 Infant Homes Indicative budget 27,5 mil Euro The plan for 2011 – 2017

• 270 babies with disabilities (10 per region) and 630 without - reintegrated with family;

• 18 new Mother and Baby Units to prevent abandonment;

• 30 new day care places per region - 840 places;

• 630 children adopted following foster care;

• 360 babies with disabilities placed into specialized foster care;

• 160 babies with disabilities placed in FTPCs;

• 4 more crisis centres

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Project “Direction – Family

Implementation:• 8 piloted Infant homes are closed

• Organized new services

• 2012 – 540 children; in 2014 – 90 children

• Gate keeping: from 91 in 2012 to 21 in 2013

• More attention on alternatives in other regions as well

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Lessons learned

Developed preventive services is a good base for closing institutions

Ring-fencing the money from closed institutions in new services

Prevention and family support need strengthening even in regions with comparatively developed networks of community based support services

Prevention services need programme budget Break the traditional understanding of municipalities as

employers Use experience of NGOs and work together

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“Good things happen when people do more than they have to.”

Radostina Paneva

Radostina.Paneva@sos-kd.org