“What do we need as parents to take care of our children peacefully?”. We asked this question to the visitors of the “Academy for Parents” forum, which was held in July in Sofia and where National Network for Children had its area for getting to know and talking with parents.
We received dozens of answers that outline the picture of the state’s care for children in our country, show the deficits and lacks, present the opinions, wishes and recommendations of the parents.
“Education” and “Healthcare”, as expected, turned out to be the two most problematic and at the same time most important areas for parents, in which the state and we as a society should work most actively.
In the field of education, the main problem was the lack of sufficient kindergartens and places in state institutions. Parents believe that the attitude of the staff towards children in municipal kindergartens should be changed. It is also necessary to make constant efforts for modern and adequate training of teachers and to increase their salaries in order to have greater motivation. Parents also want a calm and friendly environment in schools and kindergartens, smaller groups and more opportunities for children to play sports. The material in school should be lighter, they also think. Among the proposals is “replacing the tutorial-class system with a new one, with a quality standard, and ensuring the practical value of the STEM system”. One of the recommendations is for a “parent’s day at school and in kindergarten” where there is enough time and space for information exchange.
In the field of health care, the main demand is for a modern unified children’s hospital. According to the parents, there should be more and better trained paediatricians who give enough time and attention to their young patients and not “examine them for 5 minutes”. For this purpose, it is necessary to pay the medical staff better, so that they are motivated and calm and provide quality service to the patients, wrote the guests at the forum. Parents are also demanding free medicines for children.
Infrastructure is a major problem in raising children in Bulgaria, it became clear from the survey. A large number of parents recommend improvement of the environment – wider and level sidewalks for prams, more playgrounds, secure and safe conditions for playing. Parents insist on clean air, a clean and well-maintained city, more green spaces. Safe roads are also among the priorities. “Social places for parents and children where they can freely share their fears and problems” is among the ideas we received.
Parents made various requests for social and public support. Children need a “safe and supportive environment”. Also needed are “more emotional and financial support for young families”, “more training on how to be parents”, “a list of concrete steps – what to do and which institutions to visit after my child is born” and “enough time to be with our children and work fully as single mothers’. One very specific proposal is for “a 6-hour working day for parents of children under 7 plus 6 days of additional leave for each child”. “Bringing expertise from Germany to maternity and paternity arrangements” is among the ideas we received. There should be free sports activities for children everywhere, parents also believe. “To drop the income limit for receiving child allowances” and to have “financial stimulation for working parents”, wrote the forum guests. Other proposals are for “supporting community centers and libraries to organize more children’s initiatives” and “children’s BNT”. Some parents also shared that they need lateral help from qualified helpers for the children.
“For a parent to be calm, it is necessary to have love in the family and support from relatives,” summed up another participant in the survey.
Children’s rights and respect for the child’s personality were, until recently, a foreign topic to most families, but now more and more parents emphasize that children should be accepted as full-fledged individuals and be respected. All children should be treated as equals and let’s hear their voice more, forum visitors wrote.
Along with the conversation and introductions area, National Network for Children also had its own lecture where we asked parents what they need to look after their children with peace of mind. Not a single parent who got involved said that they did not need support in raising the child. The most difficult thing in raising a child, according to the parents who answered this question, is the lack of time, the balance between child care and other duties and the big question of upbringing. Not a single parent could name a specific organization or institution whose responsibility it is to provide support for parents. The support parents say they need is time, security and peace of mind.
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