Raise money for foster parents

Google translation:

Raise money for foster parents
Valentina Simeonova, Deputy Minister of Labour
and Social Policy

- Mrs. Simeon, what increase in social benefits is being considered because the prices of food and fuel?
- The social assistance system is not a means to cope with economic problems. It is focused more on how a specific person to deal with a personal problem. Of course, all these phenomena have economic and social manifestations. Many people get poorer and become clients of social assistance. Social benefits are tied to guaranteed minimum income, which is 65 EUR preparing estimates of how much money will be needed to increase it, taking into account inflation. It is 5.2% currently. If so by increasing the guaranteed minimum income would require 7.5 million additional budget costs. Because the release of the guaranteed minimum income leads to increase in all social payments - monthly social assistance, allowances for people with disabilities and children's allowances.
- How many people are on welfare in our country?
- For all of 2010 116,000 people were receiving social assistance. Monthly average they are 44 342. Moreover, the Integration of Persons with Disabilities last year assisted 543 thousand. Target heating subsidies received 206,452 persons, child benefit - 570,577 families.
- What happens to the big reform that began last year - the closing of specialized institutions for children and keeping them in conditions close to family?
- This is a complex and lengthy process. Year and a half, however, managed to reverse the perception of us as Bulgaria's Mogilino in a country that has been identified as the most successful model of reform for the deinstitutionalization of these children. We have already begun and implementation of specific projects. Rated all of the homes for disabled children and homes from 0 to 3 years - more than 3000 children. By May municipalities will be ready with their projects for new small family homes and start their construction. Start a new project to foster care with much greater resources - 15 million of the Operational Programme "Human Resources".
- How many children currently being raised in foster care?
- Thanks to the help of our partners by UNICEF last year sharply increased the number of foster families. So far these are accommodated 559 children. Only in 2010 housed 221, ie a 50% growth. We will make a standard that takes into account real life, and are likely to increase funds for maintenance and payment of foster families. At the moment it is up to 360 leva for a foster parent, depending on the number of children. We want to encourage people specialists to address this serious work, not just unemployed people to become foster parents.
- How many babies are abandoned annually?
- Still the number is over 2000. Most worrying is the fact that half of these children are still abandoned in the maternity hospital. This means that we lack for prevention. Will increase the number of protected points "Mother and Child, where the first 6 months professionals caring mother to acquire parenting skills. There are currently 10 - too weak. We have planned to build such centers in all districts. During this six months, while single mothers are in them will be sought for accommodation. People from the EU still can not believe that Bulgaria babies are abandoned in institutions. There immediately after birth is a professional foster family. Meanwhile prepare the environment for its adoption.
- It became clear that to write a new law on child and family. Why have it?
- Our idea is to integrate the whole matter to children in a single act. Moreover, the current law on child protection focus are children at risk. The new law will be based on the fundamental rights of children, creating an environment that ensures the proper development of children in Bulgaria. And the family and responsible parenthood will be part of this new law. Like all institutions with clear responsibilities for the care and development of children. For those who do not fulfill their responsibilities, there will be sanctions. Including parents. There are many ideas for penalties for poor parents, although I am more incentives for good. Including available and the criminalization of child abandonment, such as legislative practice in many countries. It is unacceptable to abandon children. But if you go to criminality, that means we need to create an environment to support parents so that they do not abandon their children. The project will be ready in late April.
- And what incentives will be offered for good parents?
- Think for individual family support. For example, parents whose children attend school and show results in the learning process, to receive more aid. Support can be both financially and materially - clothes, books, computers. They will target groups at risk, because there is a problem, but the best parents in most cases do not rely on social assistance system.
Mila Kisiova