For Our Children Foundation marked the 10th birthday of Children’s House with a celebration in the Early Childhood Development Complex in Sofia. The event was attended by partners and supporters of the organization, including representatives of public institutions and the private sector.

Since its establishment in 2012 until September 2022, 71 children have been cared for at Children’s House, of which 38 are now adopted, 15 have been placed in foster families, 9 returned to their birth families, 3 have been placed in other temporary care centers, and 6 are currently being cared for. The Children’s House is a place that provides a safe, family-type environment for children up to 7 years of age who have been separated from their families for various reasons that put their lives, physical, emotional and mental health and developmental at risk. Reasons for placement in the Foundation’s service include neglect, abuse, harassment and other forms of mistreatment. Children are often placed on an urgent basis in the house, when they are removed from their families or abandoned.

“10 years in a human life doesn’t seem like a lot, but for any child it is often more than their whole life. The construction of the Children’s House has succeeded in making our dreams come true because it was built solely as a family home for children deprived of parental care,” said Ms. Mariana Sokolova, head of the Children’s House.

“We have to be aware that these kids exist, they are here. And they deserve a happy childhood and a good life,” she added.

Thefacility has been lovingly and individually cared for over the years by a team of highly qualified caregivers, with additional activities involving other specialists from For Our Children – a speech therapist, psychologist, rehabilitation therapist, etc.

For each child in the home, there are planned and implemented activities that provide individual psycho-emotional support. The conditions are suitable for building the children’s hygiene, household and social habits. A specialized assessment is conducted for each child upon placement, which provides information on his/her development and specific needs in terms of education, upbringing, habit building, catching up on deficits and delays, relationships with significant people in his/her life, prospects for his/her future, as well as recommendations for work towards bringing the child into a family environment. The kids in Children’s House receive warmth, love and individual care. Each child has a private space for rest and activities. Unlike life in the social institutions we remember from the past, here the children have their own personal belongings – clothes, shoes, toys, books, etc., which are arranged in an individual locker next to the child’s bed in his/her bedroom. The house has suitably equipped rooms for the children’s various activities – a living room, dining room, active play room and creative activity room. Thanks to our corporate and individual donors, we provide healthy meals that are tailored to the needs of the children. The children’s meal regimens are optimally balanced, timely consulted with a physician and updated as needed.

The Foundation is grateful to the great team of Children’s House and all the partners who have contributed to the existence of this safe space for the most vulnerable children. Children’s House is a symbol and an example of the united efforts between the private sector, NGOs and government institutions.