BGN 7,105 were raised through the “Choose to help” charity initiative of Raiffeisenbank for our project “Give Happy Childhood to Children with Developmental Difficulties”. At an official ceremony, the symbolic check with the donation was received on behalf of the Foundation by Alexandra Ilieva, who thanked the organizers and donors for supporting the cause that each child develops and grows happily in a family. The campaign is organized for the ninth year and once again Raiffeisenbank chose to help the children at risk, for which the Foundation strives to ensure a secure family environment and full development. With the funds raised during the initiative, we will enable 6 children with disabilities or developmental difficulties to work with specialists according to their needs and to get innovative therapies. With the support of Raiffeisenbank, children will also be able to attend events, where they meet with their peers, because socialization often proves difficult to them. This year, our cause was among the 22 successful projects supported by the ninth edition of Raiffeisenbank’s “Choose to help” charity initiative. In the campaign, which raised donations of 226,152 leva, participated 1,597 employees, with the total amount of internally raised funds amounting to 205,010 leva. The amount was supplemented by external donors, whose funds are sent directly to the accounts of the organizations, as well as by donor SMSs, and the online donation platform. In the past 2017, “For Our Children” Foundation supported and worked with 149 children with mild, moderate and severe forms of disability, providing them and their parents with the necessary support and access to services that stimulate children’s development and ensure that their needs are adequately…
At an official ceremony held today at the Sofia City Hall, “For Our Children” Foundation, together with 20 other non-governmental organizations, signed an Agreement for the Improvement of the Quality of Social Services with the mayor Yordanka Fandakova. Sofia Municipality is entering a new stage of development and is looking to broaden the scope of its partnership with non-governmental organizations. The Agreement’s aim is to unite the civic sector and the Sofia Municipality for ensuring the further realization of a local social policy that is fully consistent with the people’s needs and in line with European standards. The document was prepared by a work group with the participation of NGO representatives and experts from the municipality, since at the beginning of the year at a meeting with Mrs. Fandakova, the civic organizations presented their suggestions for improving the dialogue between the civic sector, the users of the social services and the local administration, as well as for promoting social innovation, improving the quality and visible impact on the users of the social services for children and adults. The agreement will guarantee greater transparency and publicity in spending resources, clear rules and procedures for planning, revealing and applying for management of new social services, and annual analysis of service development. It is expected to create a fund for financing innovative ideas from the social services field. New spheres of cooperation with NGOs are regulated for planning, implementing and monitoring the social policy of the municipality. By signing the Agreement, the 20 NGOs agree that on the basis of their experience and expertise, together with Sofia Municipality, they will accumulate suggestions for improving the social policy at a national level and will share their experience with the elaboration of this agreement with other municipalities and colleagues from the civic sector. Through quality dialogue between the main stakeholders it always leads to sustainable results, and in the social sphere they always lead to the rescue of at least one child, giving direction to at least one young person and hope for the elderly in need. An important step in improving the quality of social work and endorsing career development among the young people is creating annual bonuses for social work. This would be enough acknowledgement by itself for the social workers, as well as a further stimulation for increasing work quality. This Agreement is a good opportunity for active participation of the civic society organizations in planning and implementing social policies at local level that can visibly improve the support and social inclusion of thousands of people in a vulnerable…
In the span of three days, “For Our Children” Foundation organized a two-hour training about the “Multidisciplinary model for working with the child and its family”. This was suitable for every doctor, nurse or other health specialists, who wanted to broaden their knowledge on the topic. The first two discussions took place in UMHAT “St. George” ltd in Plovdiv and “Specialized Hospital for Active Treatment of Children Diseases – prof. Ivan Mitev” ltd – Sofia, on 18 and 19 July, and the third one was on 20 July in First MHAT – Sofia ltd. Hosting the three events was Nadezhda Deneva. She has over 30 years of experience in planning, providing and managing children and adult’s services in the country, including support for implementing new practices and evaluation of projects and programs. She is also an expert for the UNICEF projects, aimed at improving the services and care for children and she has special experience in introducing the holistic approach. The purpose of the educational session was to increase the knowledge of the health specialists about the systematic approach when working with children and families, the role of the specialists in coordinating with the rest of the systems, models of integrated services and their formation, as well as teamwork in multidisciplinary teams. The training for health specialists is organized as part of the “Care at an Early Age” project by “For Our Children” Foundation. The “Care at an Early Age” project is funded by the “OAK” Foundation and its main purpose is to improve the early development and well-being of children (age 0-7) by introducing an integrated social-health and family-oriented approach towards the care. The project uses research and intercession methods and social-health services for working with children and families and aims to improve the practices and policies for early child development and the health, social and educational systems in the…
The RockSchool Musical School organizes a charity concert to support Children’s House, which will take place on 22nd June (Tuesday) from 6:30 pm in “Maymunarnika” club in Sofia. Musical bands, students, teachers and friends of RockSchool will take part in the concert. We will buy food and materials for the children in Children’s House with the raised money. Children’s House is the place where babies deprived of parental care can receive support and care in a safe and family resembling environment. The goal is the babies to stay no longer than 6 months until we find a permanent solution for their future – bringing them back home, placing them with relatives, finding a foster family or adoption. RockSchool is a musical community that unites people who love music and are not indifferent to the problems in our society. Melina Krumova, the founder of the musical school, is a true example of being active and helpful in the community by feeling inspired by music and doing what you love. Welcome on 22nd June from 6:30 pm in “Maymunarnika”to help the children of Children’s House receive the proper care they deserve and grow up…
Around 160 children, parents and specialists supported “For Our Children” Foundation by working on the “Care at Early Age” project till March this year. A team of specialists – a psychologist, specialists “Early Childhood Intervention” and “Early Childhood Development” and rehabilitators, presented mobile services on the territory of five sites which were included in the project The field work included the departments of neonatology at First Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment – Sofia and University Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment Plovdiv, Specialized Hospital for Active Treatment of Children Diseases – prof. doctor Ivan Mitev – Sofia, Center for family-type accommodation “Childhood” and Foster Care Center – Sofia. More than 40 children took part in socializing activities and participated in artistic, cultural and entertaining events, birthday celebrations, outdoor activities and others. The individual and group activities helped the children realize their potential and compensated for the long stay in the hospital and the lack of family care there. The activities helped the children’s physical, social and emotional development. A rehabilitator and specialist “Early Child Intervention” started working with some of the children. The specialists consulted 71 parents about the development of their children and helped the parents improve their emotional state. There were more than 100 consultations. 16 parents were directed towards using other social services for receiving support. Some of the parents were involved in training and learnt about taking care of prematurely born babies and the healthy dieting in early childhood. Fourteen specialists were consulted over the first three months of this year. Another 16 went through special training and supervision to improve their work with the children and families. An international expert in the family-oriented care for prematurely born children from Great Britain visited every hospital to study the practice and possibilities for introducing new practices in the neonatology departments. With the help of doctors from the hospitals, a rehabilitator and a specialist “Early Child Intervention” started offering a service for late study of prematurely born children. Thanks to our support, five children continued receiving consistent support from specialists after leaving the hospital so they could cope with the negative consequences of their premature birth. We repaired one of the rooms in the neonatology department in First MHAT and we provided a special space with maximum comfort for 5 children in a family resembling environment. The room became a place for specialized activities for the children. With the help of donors we provided additional materials, toys, clothes and a laundry machine for the department. By the end of this year we will do more improvements of the children’s facilities in First MHAT and UMHAT Plovdiv. We will continue othe maintenance of the 5 buildings under the “Care at Early Age” project till the end of 2018. We have planned a series of activities to improve the quality of care services and to stimulate the development and socialization of the children at an early age. We envision an increase in the resources for the parents and the number of specialists who support them. The “Care at Early Age” project that is funded by the “OAK” foundations aims to improve the early development of children (age 0-7) by introducing a family-oriented approach. The goal of the project is to improve the policies and practices for early child development and the social and educational systems in the country. The project uses research and intercession methods and socio-health services for working with children and families….
Основните принципи за създаването на първата национална стратегия за ранно детско развитие, която да обедини усилията на всички заинтересовани страни в създаването и прилагането на политиките за подкрепа и закрила на децата, обсъдиха днес на организирана от фондация „За Нашите Деца“ кръгла маса „Услуги за деца в ранната възраст – от политики към резултати“. Тази кръгла маса ще бъде посветена на най-малките жители на България – децата в ранна възраст, на политиките за ранно детско развитие и на постигането на конкретни резултати от тези политики, заяви при откриването на форума изпълнителният директор на фондацията Иванка Шалапатова. „Смъртността сред децата до 1 г. у нас продължава да е далеч над нормата в Европейския съюз, за първи път от 17 г. стойността й се е увеличила. Близо 44% от българските деца живеят в риск от бедност и социално изключване, висок е броят на децата в обществена грижа и в грижа, не базирана на семейството. Според постигнатите в Барселона договорености между страните-членки на ЕС, обхвата в образование на децата от 4 г. до първи клас трябва да достигне 95%, в България този процент е 86.6 и ние са гордеем с това. Аз дълбоко се тревожа от статистиката за обхвата на децата от раждането до 3 г. възраст в ранна форма на грижа и образование. При договорена европейска цел 33%, в България той е едва 7%. Това означава, че страната ни се намира в много трудно положение, за измъкването от което е нужна много сериозна човешка енергия и ангажираност отвъд нормалните роли, които ние заемаме” заяви г-жа Шалапатова. Пред участниците в кръглата маса бяха представени модели и добри практики в сферата на услугите за ранното детско развитие на европейско и международно ниво и тяхната роля в постигането на стратегически цели за ранно детско развитие. Те обсъдиха прилагането на интегрирани подходи и услуги за ранно детско развитие, както и възможностите натрупаният опит да бъде имплементиран в политики за ранно детско развитие. Искаме да постигнем интелигентен и приобщаващ растеж. Време е да преминем от проекти към политики и от политики към практики, защото са важни резултатите, важно е да обединим усилията си в създаването на стратегически документ, гарантиращ ранното детско развитие, заяви служебният вицепремиер по социалната политика и министър на здравеопазването г-н Илко Семерджиев. Подкрепа за усилията на фондация „За Нашите Деца“ и организациите от неправителствения сектор за създаването и прилагането на комплексен подход за ранно детско развитие, изрази посланикът на Кралство Нидерландия в България н. пр. Том ван Оорсхот. Той определи като ключово за ранното детско развитие приемането на Национална стратегия, и сподели опита на Холандия, където грижите за децата са отговорност на общините, и фокусът е върху превенцията, ранно разпознаване на проблемите, и подкрепа за децата и семействата. Европейската комисия горещо приветства инициативата на фондация „За Нашите Деца“ за разработване на цялостна Национална стратегия за ранно детско развитие в България, което ще бъде огромна крачка напред в подготовката за силите на глобализацията, цифровизацията и демографските промени, които в момента трансформират нашите общества, заяви Джулиус оп де Беке, Генерална Дирекция „Заетост, Социални въпроси и Приобщаване“ към Европейската комисия. Той представи приоритетите и политиките и услугите за ранно детско образование и грижа в Европейския съюз и ролята на услугите за постигането на тези приоритети. Ранното детско развитие е водещ приоритет за Световната Банка заради множеството доказателства, които ясно показват, че то е ключът към успеха на човека в живота. Всеки долар, вложен в ранното детско развитие носи възвръщаемост от 6 до 17 долара, а при най-малките деца тя достига 25 %, заяви представителят на Световната банка – България Тони Томпсън. Той определи като амбициозни целите, които България си е поставила и изрази уважение към усилията на неправителствения сектор и правителството да прилагат политики за закрила на децата. Необходими са конкретни политики за осигуряване на достъп на семействата до персонализирани услуги, което ще гарантира ранното детско развитие на българските деца и аз съм убеден, че България има потенциала да постигне това, каза г-н Томпсън. Във форума участваха представители на НСОРБ, УНИЦЕФ, Национална мрежа за децата, Европейската комисия, над 50 експерта от неправителствения сектор, ключови държавни институции и местни власти. Кръглата маса е част от усилията на фондацията за подкрепа на децата в най-ранна детска възраст и техните семейства и за въвеждането на целенасочен, интегриран подход в законодателството и политиките на държавата. Фондация „За Нашите Деца“ се застъпва за приемането на национална стратегия за ранното детско развитие. От 04.2016 г. фондацията изпълнява проект „Грижа в ранната възраст“ с финансиране от фондация „ОУК“, чиято основна цел е подобряването на развитието и благосъстоянието на децата в ранната детска възраст (0-7 г.) чрез въвеждане на интегриран здравно-социален подход към грижата за тях. Целта е чрез изследователски и застъпнически дейности, както и през директна работа на терен, да се подкрепи подобряването на политиката и практиката по отношение на ранното детско развитие в здравната, социалната и образователната системи. С настоящата кръгла маса фондацията цели да подкрепи процеса по разработване на национална интегрирана политика за ранно детско развитие, което да доведе до прилагане на подходи и развитие на практики, които гарантират защита интереса на децата от 0 до 7…
