Description
The project addresses the need for Bulgaria to have a family policy with clear goals, measures and actions to meet the expectations of parents and the needs of children. The project aims at studying the needs, proposing a family policy and engaging NGOs in policy-making at local and national level. First, the attitudes and expectations of parents and experts about the existing family policy will be studied in 10 focus groups and 20 interviews. Second, the family law and practices in Bulgaria will be reviewed and compared to the models in France, the UK, Germany and Norway. Third, broad discussions of the vision for a family policy will be held with the stakeholders (NGOs, the public authorities, parents and minorities). Finally, the vision will be presented to the competent authorities. The project will benefit children, parents, minorities, NGOs, the state authorities and local communities in general. The partners will ensure the involvement of the broadest range of people.
Summary of project results
Bulgaria needs to adopt a vision of a family policy because most measures to support families and parents are carried out piecemeal, that is some minor changes gave been enacted without any vision about the type of support and assistance for the family the government aspires to provide and about the midterm and long-term goals. Therefore the project aimed at developing a vision for a separate family policy with clear-cut goals, measures and activities and for the adoption of a family-oriented approach in all areas related to children’s wellbeing. The project activities contributed to the development of a set of measures and recommendations for the development of a social policy supporting families and children that takes into account the interests of the subjects involved based on scientific evidence. The following project outputs were developed: 1. Report from the survey of the attitudes to the overall family policy in Bulgaria; 2. Reports from the review of European practices and legislative frameworks; 3. Review of the Bulgarian legislation on family issues; 4. Report from the review of psychoanalytical literature on the issues and questions concerning the family; 5. A vision of a family policy. After the project end the member organizations of the National Network for Children, including Child and Space Association has started working on an advocacy strategy aiming at continuing the discussion of the Family Policy Vision (the main project output) and thus contacting more partners from the state administration and the institutions. The ultimate goal is to have a document adopted by the state. For more information and access to the project outputs, please, visit:
https://familypoliciesbg.wordpress.com/
Summary of bilateral results