News
10 years of residential care - a journey, experience, sharing, and CHILDHOOD NOW!
The CSUDS and the Municipality of Plovdiv recently celebrated a significant milestone – the 10th anniversary of the Family-Type Accommodation Center “Children’s House” and the opening of the Family-Type Accommodation Center “Mother Teresa” as a part of the complex’s services. The event was attended by representatives of various agencies, including the Social Assistance Agency, the Agency for the Quality of Social Services, the Municipality of Plovdiv, the Regional Directorate of Social Assistance Plovdiv, and the Directorate of Social Assistance Plovdiv. The celebration also saw the participation of partners, donors, team members, and children, both young and grown.
Words by Mrs. Nedka Petrova, Director of CSUDS-Plovdiv.
“We will hear the word ‘thank you’ many times! And every utterance will be full of sincerity, emotion, gratitude, and genuine human love! In the beginning, it was very difficult, and all of you became part of our big family along this difficult path. When we sought an answer to what is most important for the children in residential care centers, our supervisors advised us to thank the children, to make them feel valued and precious. That is why today, I will thank our children – those for whom we have all gathered. They are here among us and are probably more excited than anyone. Today, we will share the path we have walked, we will see the traces we have left after entering the lives of our children. Because they did not come to us and submit to the rules and requirements of the standards, but we entered their lives and made the rules and standards as necessary for their lives at the given moment.”
Within the event, the premiere of the film “…. And Childhood Now!” was presented, telling the story of a grown-up boy who shares his journey, lessons, and successes with the support of social work. The presentation of this story is in response to the need for social work, and specifically residential care, to become visible to the community. Popularizing such practices also serves an educational purpose, allowing both social work students and practicing social workers to grasp the essence of social services and social work as a whole.
Gratitude plaques were awarded to key partners in childcare, namely:
* To the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy for their will and efforts to develop national policies to improve the lives of children in residential care centers.* To the Social Assistance Agency for successful cooperation and coordination of all activities in unveiling social services for residential care at CSUDS – Plovdiv.
* To the Directorate of Social Assistance Plovdiv for their tireless work and partnership in finding the best solution for every child.
* To Mr. Georgi Tityukov, Deputy Mayor for Sports, Youth Activities, and Social Policy, Municipality of Plovdiv, for the long journey, trust, and responsibility for all difficult decisions related to people’s lives every day!
* To Mrs. Veselina Boteva, Director of the Directorate of Social Policy, Municipality of Plovdiv, for the care, human presence, and shared responsibility in the challenging path of making reforms and changes for a better life for children.
* To “Forklift Service Terzievi and Uzunov” Ltd. for partnership and support in childcare, providing many summer games and entertainment during the camps – for over 10 years.
* To Holding KCM 2000 for their involvement and partnership in childcare – for the development of their talents, supporting special health needs, and children’s holidays.
* To the Bijuland team for their warmth and personal approach to caring for each child.
* To the House of Musical Magic “Divizi” for their trust and shared journey in the efforts for children to develop their talents and achieve their dreams!
* To the Agapedia Bulgaria Foundation – Plovdiv branch, the people who have been with the children of the complex from the very beginning and have been inseparable in their life path and beyond.
* To the “Movement of Bulgarian Mothers” Foundation – Plovdiv branch – another recognition and words of gratitude, as they are the people who have been with the children from the residential care centers from day one and continue to give their best for them today.
* To Social Tea – Plovdiv branch for friendship, trust, and support, for adventures and the courage to make a difference in children’s lives.
* To Mr. Mikhail Karavasilev, a social worker at CNST “Mother Teresa” in the period 2014-2021, for his round-the-clock work, professionalism, and dedication to the fate of the children, which continues today.
* To Mrs. Aneliya Derneva, head of CNST at CSUDS Plovdiv in the period 2013-2021, the person who has gone through the toughest path – to establish the foundations of care at the Mother Teresa Center, to provide security and confidence from the beginning.
During the celebration, the directors of both centers, Ivanka Popova and Yordanka Popova, were given a special gesture of gratitude and appreciation for ensuring round-the-clock care for the children, along with their teams. Additionally, Liliya Evlogieva, the director of development and methodological support, was acknowledged for being constantly by their side.
The celebration ended with refreshments, where everyone shared smiles, sincere thanks, and emotions.
The “Children’s House” Center was established in 2003 through a partnership between the Municipality of Plovdiv and the European Children’s Trust – Great Britain. Its main objective is to provide temporary care for children in small group homes, which simulate a family environment. This center became part of the Complex for Social Services for Children and Families in 2013. In the same year, the Municipality of Plovdiv restructured the “Mother Teresa” Shelter for Abandoned Children, transforming it into a Family-Type Center for Children. This change was enacted by a decree of the Executive Director of the Social Assistance Agency on September 1, 2013.
Over the past 20 years, the “Children’s House” has provided a home for 167 children, with 86 children being cared for from its inception until September 2023. Since 2013, the “Mother Teresa” Family-Type Accommodation Center has accommodated 72 children. As of September 2023, “Children’s House” is currently home to 15 children aged 3 to 12, while “Mother Teresa” houses 14 children aged 12 to 18.
Both centers have social workers and administrative staff, with “Children’s House” also having childcare workers for the specific needs of younger children.
The integration of these services into the Complex structure in 2013 was an extremely complex process, given that the centers have been caring for children with severe behavioral problems and some with serious chronic illnesses requiring round-the-clock care from a fully professional and trained team. This decision was difficult and highly responsible but aimed at improving the quality of care for children in the long term, creating more opportunities for their support, ensuring greater security and continuity, engaging the resources of all teams and society in overcoming negative attitudes towards them, and facilitating their acceptance by other children in schools, kindergartens, sports teams, art schools… things that were difficult to achieve initially. Today, the decision made in 2013 proves to be the right one because the children in these centers are no different from any others – only their living environment differs.
In the 10 years since the integration of the two centers, the statistics show:
For the “Children’s House” Center:
* 24 children have been reintegrated into their families or left upon reaching adulthood; 10 have been placed in foster care; 5 have been adopted; 14 have been transferred to other family-type centers for better meeting their needs; 3 children have been placed in centers for children with anti-social behaviors; 2 children have passed away; emergency police protection has been provided for 12 children for 48 hours, after which they were returned to their family environment.
For the “Mother Teresa” Center:
* 33 children have been returned to their families or left upon reaching adulthood; 16 have been placed in crisis centers and centers for children with anti-social behaviors; 2 have been adopted; 5 children have been directed to other residential services, 3 have received police protection, after which they were returned to their family environment.
These data show the different intensity of work with different target age groups, and the results are a result of active social work with the parents of these children by both the center teams and the Child Protection Department in Plovdiv.
The lives of all children who have passed through the centers have been marked by the care and dedication of the entire Complex for Social Services for Children and Families, the support of the Municipality of Plovdiv in its capacity as a service provider, partners, donors, teachers, and medical workers who make the results and destinies of the supported children visible.
The financial and material support from donations received for the children in both centers amounts to approximately 60,000 leva annually – in cash, materials, and services.
The involvement of volunteers in the work is an added value to the team’s efforts.
A key role in the success of caring for children lies in shared responsibility, joint efforts, trust, parental support, and individual solutions for each child, every day!
Thanks to all who have shared the children’s journey!