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Description
The overall objective of the project proposal is to provide support to children in early childhood and their families from vulnerable groups in the municipality of Lom, mainly from Roma communities to improve access to health care, develop parenting skills, improve the family environment, increase the school readiness of children for inclusion in the educational system, with the aim of reducing the transmission of poverty between generations.
The specific objectives of the project proposal are:
- To create, integrate, develop and upgrade 3 functionally connected hubs (one mobile, with an emphasis on the Humata neighborhood, as the most territorially remote and practically outside regulation) for providing functionally connected services for education and care at an early age for children from the target groups and their parents to:
- To provide support for children in early childhood and support for access to education;
- Improve access to social and health services for children from vulnerable groups;
- Support the transition from a family to a formal educational environment.
- To develop a model for the complex integrated measures that will be provided for improving the access to education, health protection and development of social skills for children aged 0 - 6 in the municipality;
- To pilot in the general framework a model for social-emotional learning, a model of an innovative social service for piloting practices for early learning in the home environment and the model "Toy Library".
- To ensure the active involvement of the community of the municipality in the planning and implementation of the measures;
- To share good practices with organizations working in early childhood development and to strengthen bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Norway.
Summary of project results
To cover children from 0 to 6 from vulnerable groups who do not attend nursery or kindergarten, as well as their families, in order to help them improve their parental skills, improve the family environment, increase the school readiness of children support the smooth transition form family to formal educational environment. Some of the main issues the project had to tackle with were low educational and social status of children, significant deficits in learning Bulgarian, limited access to alternative educational activities nd poor health status.
The project implemented a range of activities to address the identified issues and improve early childhood development in Lom Municipality. Tree early childhood development hubs were established to provide integrated services in education, healthcare and social support for children aged 0-6. A comprehensive model for early childhood education and care was developed, a Social-Emotional Learning program was piloted and an innovative learning model "Toy Library" were used to improve the education and socialization status of the community. The Social-Emotional learning program was integrate into preschool activities, helping children to prepare for formal schooling and develop their emotional intelligence communications kills and motivation. Bulgarian language courses were provided for children with language deficits. The project offered healthcare and social support by medical screenings, home visit and individual consultations. One hundred children had received material assistance based on their vulnerability. In order to strengthen the community engagement a Community initiative group and Intersectoral Coordination Mechanism were developed.
The project successfully improved the educational, healthcare and social inclusion of the vulnerable children and families in Lom municipality. In the three established hubs for early childhood development 446 children were covered in the variety of offered activities together with their families. 120 children went through the organized Bulgarian language courses and improved their speaking and understanding. 100 children received essential clothing, shoes and hygiene items. 50 children received preventive check-ups.
Summary of bilateral results
The bilateral activities have led to the achievement of the following results: 1. Report on the research of successful practices and models for early childhood development in Norway; 2. A visit to Norway by 4 Bulgarian project staff and their familiarization with the best early childhood development practices in the donor state; 3) Report prepared by participants in the visit with attached materials on the observed practices and models; and 4) Four online conferences held to discuss the concept, methodology and current implementation of the project with the participation of a total of 20 experts from both countries. Based on the project staff familiarization with the leading models in Norway and other countries, the novel model in Bulgaria will receive significant support through relevant information and create a database that will allow to build on and develop what has been started after the completion of the project activities. Building and strengthening the relationship with the donor state have given impetus to the local government officials to seek institutional and financial development of the model and the three hubs through their own resources or by seeking alternative external sources.