The System of Social Services in Bulgaria and the Process of Deinstitutionalisation of Children

Development of social services in Bulgaria is predetermined by the policies of last decades of the last century and is characterized by a number of features arising from the difficult transition to a market economy and modern challenges of dynamic social and economic environment. Social services are activities targeted at supporting assisted persons to conduct a complete way of life and full inclusion in society. Social services are aimed mainly at social integration of people, giving them the opportunity to lead an independent life and not to be dependent on the service or the institution. Development of social services in community is the key to effective social inclusion, poverty alleviation and participation in society of all vulnerable groups. In recent years, policy in the sphere of social services in Bulgaria is directed to development of services in community and home to replace the institutional model of care. Planning and implementation of national policy of reforms in child care is directly related to children at risk and better recognition of their problems and needs. Purposeful activities are carried out and programs are being implemented to achieve one of the main objectives of this policy - deinstitutionalization of children. Based on European practices and models activities and methods of child care are successfully realized. Presented study on the development of social services for children, with a special emphasis on deinstitutionalization, makes analyses of the system of social services for children as set in main strategic documents and statistical data. The aim is to identify key processes, trends and issues and to make recommendations for policy improvements. Main results emphasize that in order to achieve the desired effects new approaches and measures are needed in application of running strategies. Main recommendations are defined for implementation of social policies for children and a conceptual framework of child care is proposed. It is important and necessary to develop a policy that will not only offer appropriate care for children at risk in the short term, but will also to prevent possible problems in the future