Lumos has two pilot projects working in two regions of Bulgaria – Dobrich in the northeast and Varna on the north of the Black Sea coast. Here we are supporting the local authorities to close large-scale residential institutions and develop replacement community-based services. Our local teams’ role involves:
Working alongside the Bulgarian authorities in the implementation of deinstitutionalisation and simultaneously improving the quality of care for children until their final placement.
Carrying out comprehensive assessments of four institutions in Varna and three in Dobrich. The aim of these assessments is to inform the closure process and decide what additional community-based support services the children and their families will need.
Supporting local partners (including child protection departments, the Adoption and Child Protection Panels and other service providers) to work with birth and extended families and to expand adoption and foster care provision.
The target is to not just move children out of institutions, but to also prevent more children from entering homes unnecessarily. A key part of this DI process is to provide families with comprehensive information on the local support services available to them.
"Supporting local partners...to work with birth and extended families and to expand adoption and foster care provision."
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Safeguarding Children by Monitoring and Improving Standards of Social Care
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Giving children in institutions a voice
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Supporting Vulnerable Families
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A Visit Back In Time
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8 million children are in institutions
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Ion's Story
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Rediscovering the love of a family: Andre*’s story
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Turning Words into Action
