On 2 and 3 March 2016 National Network for Children (NNC) participated in a meeting as a coordinator for Bulgaria for the campaign “Opening Doors for Europe’s Children.” The campaign is carried out by the European network Eurochild and “Hope and Homes for Children“. Its main aim is to reform the institutional care for children in Europe.
The first phase of the campaign, which ended in late 2015, was held at both European and national levels in partnership with organizations from 12 European countries – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine.
The meeting focused on the development of the second phase of the campaign and coordinators together with international partners such as “SOS Kinderdorf”, International Foster Care Organisation and FICE, discussed what should be its content.
Following the discussion it was decided to be paid particular attention to the influence of the European Union on policies of deinstitutionalization at the national level. Based on this principle specific steps will be implemented over the next three years.
Dilyana Slavkova from the National Network for Children presented the advocacy strategy of the Network in the field of deinstitutionalization and the specific actions which were taken in 2015. Some of the highlights of the presentation were the project “Vision for family policy in support of children and families in Bulgaria” which aims to introduce family-oriented approach by the state in all areas affecting children’s well-being and the efforts of NGOs in relation to the updating of the Action Plan for implementing the “Vision for deinstitutionalization.”
Representatives of the European Commission explained how EU funds contribute to the process of deinstitutionalization.
