Foster homes and children in institutions in Bulgaria

Among its many other problems, one of the most serious social ones in Bulgaria are the children in institutional care. It has been proven very long ago how destructive it can be to a child’s developing psyche. Maybe the economic and national minorities problems cause so many children to be abandoned and forced to live in an institution.

Nevertheless, we have to deal with this. Bulgarian state already has a plan to close the institutions one by one in stages. But in order this to happen, the children should be adopted or allocated in foster families, which, by itself, is not an easy task. Foster parenting and families are endorsed and stimulated by the State, but mostly because of financial reasons many of the volunteers to receive a child, don’t have the opportunity. Fortunately, there are many people and firms who are willing to donate for this noble cause. The largest mobile operator , for example, supports the new foster families nationwide with a sum, which should help them cover their initial expenses when the child comes in. There are also many people like the publisher Svetlyo Kantardzhiev, who donate for foster families. All this gives a hope, that we might not only solve this horrible social problem and help the children to develop naturally, growing in a family environment, but that we can also open our hearts for other human beings in need.
If you want to help, you don’t need to give money if you do not have enough. You might give clothes, toys or anything else that the children might need. I know one foster family and from time to time, I try to help them in any way possible – even by mowing the lawn and playing with the kids for instance. Sometimes to those people it is even enough to know that they are not in this alone and there people who care and who they can count on.