Background information on disabled care in Bulgaria

The country of Bulgaria, in southeastern Europe, has the largest number of physically and mentally disabled children growing up in institutions anywhere in Europe. This is due to a decades-long state policy encouraging the abandonment of children with and without disabilities into institutions, instead of aiding families in caring for their children or supporting national and international adoption and foster care.  This situation raises serious concerns about the physical and emotional neglect of children in state care in Bulgaria.  Many children are incredibly malnourished and their appearance may remind you of pictures of starving African children. Since these children are heartlessly locked away in institutions this tragedy has gone unnoticed.  Currently, there is no one to come to the aid of these children.  Most of them cannot talk because no one has ever spoken to them.  With nothing to do all day, they simply sit and rock backwards and forwards – a typical human response to lack of stimulation.

Only 2% of children in the institutions are orphans.  The remaining 98% are institutionalized due to poverty.  Most of these institutionalized children have families, who have not relinquished their parental rights and would not place their child in an institution if they had a choice.  They do not have a choice.  The financial support available to such families, who are disproportionately impoverished in the poorest EU country, is inadequate. Most of the children have to spend their entire lives in an institution.  Another factor that contributes to the placement of children in institutions is the lack of community-based social services.  There are not yet sufficient alternatives to institutions.  Lack of daycare centers, centers for rehabilitation and special education schools put most of the disabled children in Bulgaria at risk to be abandoned.  Children with mental and physical disabilities are subjected to mass discrimination due to lack of understanding that they are equal citizens in rights and state.  Local authorities currently do not respect and ensure the exercise of these rights.  The children in institutions are left in crib-like beds for most of their day.  Out of their beds, there is little available to stimulate body or mind in the spartan environment.  For decades parents were encouraged to leave their children here after birth, never to visit again.  Without stimulation, children sit and constantly rock forwards and back, just to have something to do.  Many of the children are undersized for their age and malnourished because they are not fed a proper diet.

Since 2001 public discussions and some action has started in Bulgaria to stop placement of children in institutions and remove those who have already been placed there.  Although there have been some efforts on the legislative and policy level, the effect of the current state policy has resulted in an even larger number of children being placed in institutions.  This is because of lack of alternatives to institutions, as can be seen on this map of the distribution of state institutions versus private-funded care centers.  Currently there are over 8,000 children living in 100 institutions throughout the country. The lack of appropriate care for these children living in institutions is harming their physical and psychological development.

The beginning of change

In 2007 a British film, Bulgaria’s Abandoned Children, was made about a state institution in the village of Mogilino in northeastern Bulgaria, where 75 children lived. [View a 4 minute excerpt of this film, or the full 90 minute BBC production online.] The reaction in the UK was very strong but in Bulgaria the film was perceived as a deliberate attempt to discredit the country. Taking advantage of the huge reaction in the UK, several Bulgarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that provide services for children and families united in their efforts in an attempt to deinstitutionalize all 75 children. These united efforts were at the request of Bulgaria's Ministry of Social Policy to help the children.  They began working with the children on needs assessment and provision of immediate care by placing a group of 12 specialists with them. This has been meant to serve as a model for deinstitutionalization of all children with disabilities who live in institutions in Bulgaria.

As of September 2008 the results were that the children gained weight, some who were bedridden are now able to sit and stand, and some have been able to walk.  Many have received physiotherapy, speech therapy and psychological help.  Unfortunately, while much has been done for the children from the Mogilino institution, the young adults over the age of 18 there have remained neglected with no solutions to their plight.  The Bulgarian NGOs do not have the experience, expertise or funding to develop the model of community living and care for these neglected people, and the government has not been ready to face this problem.

To learn more about the Baba Tonka House project, continue on to Karina's Projects.