On May 21 2024, For Our Children Foundation, in partnership with The Human Safety Net Bulgaria, held a Round Table “Best Practices for Holistic Support of Early Childhood Development” in Sofia.

The aim of the event was to introduce all stakeholders to the model that the organization is forming and building on, including complex support for the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of the child, support for the family and joint work with specialists from the social, educational and health sectors.

The round table was attended by representatives of local authorities, specialists from the three key areas – social, educational, health, and experts from the NGO sector. Key speakers were Ms. Mariana Sokolova, Regional Manager of Social and Integrated Services at the Foundation, who presented the organization’s model of work and Ms. Tatiana Bakova, Deputy Mayor of Rakovski Municipality, who together with the panelists focused on the development of services for children and their families through the partnership of municipalities and For Our Children.

The discussions included successful practices for cooperation of specialists from social services for early childhood development with specialists from nurseries, kindergartens and medical institutions. The event also focused on the practice of co-learning for professionals working with children through joint supervision to support their work.

Partnerships with municipalities, kindergartens, health care institutions and social services enable For Our Children Foundation to pass on its experience and support partners in the development of complex care for the health and well-being of children in Bulgaria.

“We are brought together by mutual trust and the desire to create better opportunities for the development of every child at an early age. We, as specialists in the social sphere, are looking for cooperation with the other sectors – education and health care, because the comprehensive care of every child requires us to complement our strengths in order to create a safety net,” said Mr. Trendafil Meretev, Project and Advocacy Manager at For Our Children Foundation, adding:

“Through practice in different municipalities, we assess the needs of children and families, adapt our approaches and look for innovative solutions.”

The forum gave the participants the opportunity to learn about many well-established practices of cooperation between the organization’s specialists and professionals who promote a holistic approach to the well-being of young children in the municipalities of Sofia and Plovdiv.

The event also discussed how these practices help professionals working with children to cope with challenges in their field and to respond to the different needs of young children and their families, especially children from vulnerable groups.