Bulgaria has the highest rate of child institutionalisation in Europe, with an estimated 16,000 – 20,000 children living in orphanages. Less than 2% of these children are thought to be orphans.

ARK has worked in partnership with the Bulgarian Government since 2006 to plan and support reform of long-term institutional care in the Municipality of Stara Zagora (home to the highest number of institutionalised children in the country). This was the first time the Government had ever explicitly committed to the replacement of large-scale, long-term institutional care with family and community based services and marked a huge breakthrough for both ARK and the future of child-care in Bulgaria

In 2008, ARK closed Nadejda Home for Children Deprived of Parental Care, completing Bulgaria’s first quality institutional closure. In addition, over 60 further children have been moved from other institutions. All children have been reintegrated with their immediate or extended family or found homes with foster carers, adoptive families or in Small Group Homes.