I seen the screening of this program by the BBC and was very disturbed by its findings. I am very happy the Bulgarian Goverment has taken positive measures in resolving this unimaginable situation.

I have just watched the documentary on the mogilino care home for the first time on bbc2.I got so upset watching these beautiful children wasting away in mogilino that i decided i had to do something.The director of the home blamed everyone except herself.I am so glad to hear this home is being closed down.How could I help children like these?

I have watched the programme on the children of Mogilino if found it disturbing that in this day and age there are still this kind of neglect.I wish all the children the very best in there new homes,and would like to thank the program maker for showing it as they may have been completely forgotten if it wasn,t for her and as we sit at home in our own little worlds so far from what these children were experiencing we need a reality check now and then.

I was sickened to watch this documentary - to see once healthy children dying from starvation, just because their parents made the decision to abandon them for whatever reason. How can this go on in the 21st Century? I appreciate that the money may not be there but surely giving these children enough food to keep them heathy is a priority and what effort does it take to talk to them, take them outside and interact with them. How the people responsible could sleep at night is a mystery to me. I hope it is true that this 'home' has now been closed and that at least a few of these children are given a chance of being adopted (it doesn't matter what country offers them a home) and that the others are given the proper care they are entitled too as well as the love and attention they need to thrive. I also hope that the abuser in this film is brought to justice and never allowed to work with children again. My thoughts go out to all the suffering children in similar situations and I hope there is an end to this type of abuse and neglect.

All fine and well to hear that these kids are beuing taken care of, but 1) can we see this? 2) What about all the other homes in Bulgaria, even those of these adults? By the grace of god, we should not rest before these people are all taken care of and all those homes are improved. They did mention the near perfect solutions in this rapport, but all this must be verivied. The BBC should also go back for and update, trace the kids in their new home etc. Anyone who wants to help with this, please email me as, believe me, until places like this are screened, they continue to exist - and this must end. We must do something and we must not rest until the godly work is done, for this has been brought to our eyes by our father in heaven.

my email, not hidden.

I saw this programme for the very first time last time and it has shocked me to the core! Whilst I am pleased to learn that something has been done for the home shown, I cannot help but wonder how many other homes are treating children in this way still. Just like Tracy (comments today) I feel it is my duty to try and help these children and others like them, so was quite shocked when there were no numbers or email address or any form of instruction at the end of the programme. Do Children in Need reach out to these children? I know there was a charity mentioned - Helsinki??? Would this be the 1st place to start?

I saw the documentaey last night and it must have been one of the most distressing documentaries I have ever seen. I cried myself to sleep last night. I'm still really upset now. This morning I was getting ready to emaileveryone that I could to help these poor children and thank God, I discovered that the home had been closed down. What would be really fantastic if the team that filmed the documentary would go back and do a follow up. These images will haunt me for a long time and it would be good to know how the children are doing in their new lives. Thank you for showing this documentary, you guys did good, you should be proud of yourselves for helping.

What a tremendous job the journalists did who produced this, possibly the most harrowing thing I have seen on TV for a long time. Somehow it is worse than war or famine, showing the systematic cruelty to and starvation of these young human beings, yet all the while their carers going through the motions of keeping them clean and fed. The shocking assault on the dignity of the boys and young men as they were herded, naked, to be showered, will live with me forever. And the vision of how the future would be for them, in the hell holes that we saw where their adult versions existed – Bulgaria, you must pull yourselves out of the Dark Ages and allow others to assist you. We know there were good people working there, and intelligent people who could see what was going on. Buy why was the director allowed to remain in her job? Where was her accountability? Where was her humanity? How can we help, both the children and the adults ... and the country?

I too want to do something to help. It was very difficult to sleep after watching this documentary and I have to say the closing seconds were particularly telling. I want to send my love to all those beautiful children and just pray they are heading in the right direction now. I feel sick to the core from the knowledge that this goes on. Bless you little angels x

For the first time in my life I felt ashamed to call myself Bulgarian. The ignorance and the indifference of all the people involved in taking care of those innocent children and our government policies and actions are appalling, disturbing and disgraceful. How do these people sleep at night knowing they have left these children in the state they are after all these national and international funding and charities? Where are all the money gone that are supposed to help these already punished enough by their parents who deserted them children? Our Government should be deeply shaken and disturbed that conditions of this kind exist in 21st century and humans are treated worse than animals. I was so upset after seeing the documentary I couldn't sleep and I couldn't stop crying throughout the programme. No human being deserves to be treated in this inexcusable way especially innocent child. I hope this documentary was a wakeup call to our government who now can clearly see the big picture. I hope in their hearts they find the little humanity that is left and do something about it and help those children.

I can't help but feel however much that programme affected each of it's viewers that we will once again slip into our normal day to day lives and forget the faces of those innocent lonely children. I actually felt physically sick watching the weak under nourished children being manhandled and screaming in pain. As one person commented on the young men and women being walked to the showers naked, with no dignity... it mirrored scenes that one would imagine to have seen in a WW2 documentary on the concentration camps as apposed to a care home for mentally disabled children. The babies wasting away and the little children rocking backwards and forwards need love and attention. I know it was highlighted in the programme, but I just thought I would reiterate, it is absolutely appalling that there is no-one to care for these children, to play with them, to hold and cuddle them even the basic things like feeding the children nourishing food, basic healthcare and just every once in a while expressing some sort of concern for these desperate children. I think we live in a society that will happily watch an entertaining show for 5 hours raising awareness for children in need, donate a few pounds and that then strips their conscience of any fault, blame or guilt, then their day to day lives recommence. The children of Bulgaria didn't have a single moment of thought in my head until that programme and they will have several hours of my time in the years to come. Other than donating a few measly pounds to rid me of guilt, I would love to be able to do something for those children I really would, so if anyone has any suggestions please let me know. I really hope those children are not forgotten about and that they receive the love and attention that they so desperately need!

i was appauled and angry, so many emotions ran through my head after watching the bbc documentry, how dare they treat human beings in such way and children at that! to hear that such place is closed i am overjoyed, but are they geting treated in a humane way or is the goverment doing another cover up?? all i can say is i hope the children are safe and well....and loved!

After watching the documentary last night on the BBC it has left me shocked & very saddened. Please help these children they only want love and someone to give them attention. Its a disgrace to the country of Bulgaria to permit the abusive treatment of these helpless children.Bulgaria had better get itself up to EU standards in the care of its children or they should not be in the EU community. Its a national disgrace. Most of the so called carers failed to show any compassion or genuine love for their helpless & difenceless charges.

Couldn't sleep was quite an understatement.. shocking, disturbing, unbelievable, sickening to the core of one's being. HOW CAN WE HELP?? I cannot get the image of these little children from my mind. Lord hear our prayer....

As a 'hardened' man of 42 years old, I cried my eyes out after watching this program. It made me sick to the core that children were being treated like this in 2007. I just hope that these children are afforded better care now that the institute has closed. God bless them all.

I also watched this program on BBC2 last night and it made me sad but more angry if anything that this sort of thing still exists in the 21st century ! I was glad to see that this place of hell was shut down but can´t help but wonder what the future of those children will be like. Wish there was a way to lend a helping hand. I cannot get the vision of these poor children out of my head and just hope they will be taken care of so they can live happily and without this neglect and pain. No one should have to suffer like this and Bulgaria needs to do something about this and fast !! God bless these poor children and forgive for having lived a life like this.

I also have not been able to sleep or stop crying and feeling physically sick since watching this harrowing insight into this Child cruelty..I forced myself to watch to the end in the hope that something good had come from the filming of these poor neglected pitiful little darlings.But was left feeling distraught.To see a fat handed carer shovelling ladle sized spoonfuls of grey glop into those emaciated little bags of bones to the point of choking them,will sicken me till the day I die.Not even to be given the chance to feed themselves.Without a pick of fat on their poor scabbed little bottoms which they were forced to sit on all day..the pain, humiliation and lack of a simple kind act or hug.As a mother of a son with cerebral palsey,I know these children can do so much more for themselves given the opportunity and guidence.The irony is as my son lives independantly (THROUGH CHOICE) most of the care staff are Bulgarian.His life is a millionmiles away from these poor neglected unloved children.May God Bless each and every one and give us the strength to bring an end to all, young and old, who are suffering in conditions like these..I have found comfort in reading all your comments.How can I help?

i was also very upset by the programme that was watched last nite thinking a million things in my head of ways in which i could help these children. being force fed slop and thrown from bed 2 floor every day of there lives not knowin any different and the director blamed everyone but herself! she is meant 2 direct people into doing the right things 4 these children making sure they r fed and even loved. the workers didn't even really seem bothered by the crys from the children wanting attention givin someone a bit of attention doesn't cost anything the same as manners i was so angry with the situation out there that there must b something that we can all do 2 help? i am just so pleased that the place has now been shut down and there is no more cruelty 4 thoses poor children i just hope we can c a follow up so we can c how they r gettin on in there new homes. Not just the children though there were adults 2 where these children will end up 1 day! i just hope that the government has now seen how bad these people r treated and get straight onto it i just wish we cud all help somehow.

Well l'm so pleased l'm not the only one in shock after last nights disturbing programme.l consider myself a tough man but after viewing last nights programme l could not sleep and l had to hold back the tears.Watching a walrus sized"carer" shovel huge spoons of sludge down an emaciated childs neck,spoon after spoon with not even a seconds respite filled me with horror and despair.God bless those poor kids,they've never been given the slightest chance in life.l want to thank Kate Blewett for opening my eyes to the real world of orphange child care in Bulgaria. Geoff.

I live in Northern Ireland, I watched, Bulgaria's Abondoned Children, on tv and i couldnt believe what i had saw, How could any person let that happen to thoose children, it is a disgrace that Bulgaria's Goverment let things like that happen. My heart is with all thoose children, and i could only wish i could take them home and care for them, the way any child should be cared for, I will keep up dating myself to see how things or going with these children, and only hope that God will take care of use and see things right by u, my love to all thoose speacail children. xxx

I too watched the extremely disurbing documentry. It's an absolute disgrace that any human could treat a child in this way! I could not help but shed many tears of sadness for those young, poor and so innocent children, I infact did not sleep at all last night because I was so disurbed by what I saw! I am now very seriourisly considering adoption from the country that is laking in human decency and charity. I have just had a child myself and to watch that made me feel empty inside and in another way feel gratefull for what I have had in my life! I ask myself what can we do to stop this outrage? I am a little lifted to know that this so called 'home' is being closed down but then disheartened as I know that they will be shipped around like cattle! All a child needs is love, food, a roof over there head and a little interation with people who care! This should be a instinct from a parent or carer. I understand parenthood is hard but if you dont want children or you cant cope with a mentally ill child then use protection! Or at least make sure YOUR unwanted child goes to a happy and healthy home where they will be given the proper care they need and deserve!

Could not believe this. In a country in the EEC!!!! Cannot forget this and will not until something is done about such institutions.This is not acceptable. I would like to do anything to see that these children and others are not subjected to such lack of care. INHUMAN

Whats the problem? -Children cleaned (tick) -Children Washed (tick) -Children fed (tick) -Children have access to different rooms with umbrellas, tv (tick) -Children have medical care (tick) To see Varna, the starving deaf child become a bag of bones eating grey slop which the staff admitted wouldn't keep anyone alive is nobodies fault as all the boxes on the the government's checklist are being ticked! The staff blame a 'disease' for Varna which magically starves most of the kids who couldn't fight to steal food into bags of bones. Varna becae immobile and in pain because her thin leg snapped, and the staff barely noticed or cared, as they put her into bed to die. These do not fit into the governments boxes. The tickboxes are all checked. The end goal is for these children to rot. A goal of giving them a chance of a productive life, with only a little extra resources like an education, pad back by adding to Bulgeria 's production and therefore wealth, nevermind common decency is not on the government check list.

The Bulgarian Governement must be made to realise that, although they clearly have no human morals or concerns regarding these children, the rest of the EU does. If the EU politicians cannot make a difference, perhaps our tourist pound could hit them in the pocket and make them see sense - Bulgaria makes a fortune from it's flourishing winter and summer tourism destinations....let us all avoid these places, not give them our money, and persuade them to treat their people with dignity, respect and humanity before they can provide us with cheap holidays.I'm sure the impact on their economy would make them listen, and we hope to God, act.

The forgotten children how ironic . i will never forget the faces of those children i have thought of nothing else since watching the programme last night these beautiful kids deserve so much more , to feel the touch of a hand that cares. I feel sick every time i think about those babies , god bless those little angels

Hello, y have seen the childeren home on t.v last night en y was in shock.Those childeren in such a bad shape y had tears in my eyes.Im glad the home most be closed. Sorry for mine englisch y live in the netherlands.

I watched this last night, and was so sad how these children were living and i had to search something on the internet to find out more! I am so pleased to here that the social home in closing down and the children will get more professional care! I personally think there should be another programme to show how one programme has affected those childrens life massively and how they can have a better future, rather than spend their whole life in a care house like some of the men whom have been there since they were born! Alot of people like myself worried about this social house and to hear that it has been handled with is fantastic, but not everybody knows this, so by having another documentary to show the childrens lifes improving would be fantastic for everyone!

I am so glad that I'm not the only one feeling so sad and andgry at the same time after last night's documentary. I cried so much for all those poor children, being treated like they're worthless... all I wanted to do is give them all a big hug and tell them it's going to be ok. I will never understand the mentality of those so-called 'social workers' and the maddness that made those parents give up their babies just because they thought they weren't good enough! The home for the adults was even worse, living worse than cattle - who runs this country! Same on Bulgarian government for tuning a blind eye, I sure hope that all of those children's and the adult's lives will dramatically improve and that they will get what they deserve the most - LOVE!

Im glad something was done about that place from hell called mongilio. them beautiful boys and girls never deserved such horrible treatment, they are the most vunurable and therefore should be the most looked after with extra love and care given to them.

Im glad something was done about that place from hell called mongilio. them beautiful boys and girls never deserved such horrible treatment, they are the most vunurable and therefore should be the most looked after with extra love and care given to them.

i have actually started up a website for these poor children and adults that need the same hepl as these children, please sign my petition or go on this website please http://bulgariasforgottenchildren.sampasite.com

i watched this documentary and i was shocked and appalled by the discusting treatment these poor children are recieving. Who ever put tha director in charge should be sacked. I work in a care home for the elderly so i know how to take care of people and what should be done to prevent malnutrition and bed sores etc. I want to help these children in any way i can but i will not send money so the directors can waste it on computers. i am happy to send towels as i noticed they only had one between all of them and i will send other things they need like that.

Thank god I am not the only person who watched this horror documentary who feels so helpless & frustrated by what we all saw. I am finding it very difficult to say the least to live my "normal daily life" without a feeling so very guilty about even eating & sleeping in a soft clean warm bed, with my family to love & care for eachother, how very lucky we all are... I felt such burning anguish in my stomach that night, that hasn't gone away. I can honestly say I was traumatised by what I saw. I think a good way to make Bulgaria's government take responsibility for these poor little angels, is to make every travel company boycot holidays to Bulgaria, It is only when they feel it in their pockets that they will stop & listen. Now Bulgaria is part of the European Union these children are our responsibility too, & I will never forget them until I know they are all safe & well. Please can somebody let me know how we can help, & keeptrack of their progress. God Bless them all.

I litterally cried all night after watching the poor children in the Mogilino childrens home. The last scene, where the little boy walked to the reporter for a cuddle just broke my heart. I find it unimaginable that these children are offered no affection or love, the one thing that costs nothing. Whilst i am pleased that the Bulgarian government are closing the home, its makes me wonder wether the children will acctually see any benifit from this action, or are they going from one bad situation to another.

This program was the most shocking and disturbing i have ever seen , the faces and screams of those children will haunt me forever , i commend the program for ther courage and conviction in bringing this horror to the attention of the people who can hopefully make a difference , people like us , who care enough to sign the petitions and keep up the pressure on the Bulgarian government.We all have a responsibility to not let go of those images , those children cannot speak because nobody had the time or the will to teach them , so it is left to you and i to speak for them, and we must.

It is now thursday and I still can't shake the images that were seared into my mind on Sunday evening whilst watching Bulgaria's Abandoned Children. One thing that struck me, amid the horror, was that the carers, a rather large, matronly bunch, had absolutely no maternal instinct towards these children. It is not too great a leap to assume that these carers are married with children of their own and yet they can treat these children to unnecessary and prolonged neglect and scarcely raise an eyebrow as they slip into a feral state where the strong survive and the weak die. There is NO justification for sending ANY child to such a place but how on earth can you justify sending someone there simply because they are blind or deaf! It seems as though the wheels are in motion for the immediate help of these children (pray it is not too late for Stoyen and Vasky) but it is clear that there is a long term educational solution to be found- these people need to be educated and shown that being disabled is not shameful, they need to see just what disabled people can do.

I found this site (Sofia Echo) whilst searching for information about the mayor of Mogilino, who was said in the BBC film to be the only person who can sack the disgraceful director of this horror home. I had intended (and still do) to try to identify this person and encourage as many people as possible to write to him/her expressing disgust and concern over the situation at the Mogilino childrens' home. Whilst I am pleased to read the press release from tghe Bulgarian Govt that the home is to be closed, I am anxious about what will become of the children. The article mentions 11 have been found places elsewhere, but that leaves 54 children. There is said to be little interest in adopting them, probably because of the severe difficulties some of them have, so it is probably irrelevant that the parents of 21 of the children have given their agreement to adoption. They are only in the Mogilino home because no-one else wants them. Not to put too fine a point on it, Mogilino appears to have been "the final solution" to the problem of these unwanted children - feed them slops until they die of "disease". End of problem. To be blunt, I formed the impression the parents had shunted their children to this hell-hole and forgotten about them. In particular, I was moved by the lively teenager who wrote letters to her mother every day and kept them in her handbag because the mother has made it clear she wants nothing further to do with her daughter. It comes as no surprise to read that they consent to adoption - someone else can take care of the "problem". The home did not appear to be dilapidated. The rpoblem was the treatment & feeding (or lack of) of the children. A new director with some humanity and a reasonable budget would have transformed the place. Whilst the children were in Mogilino the story could be followed up by journalists fairly readily, but if they are dispersed it will be hard for interested Westerners to keep track of them. To me, this smacks of the Bulgarian government hiding the problem to avoid further embarrassment. The letter of response highlighted at the end of the documentary rang alarm bells with me, as it claimed the children were diseased, not neglected. This merely repeated the obviously false position adopted by the director & staff of the home. I apologise for ranting on, but I am not at all convinced the closure of Mogilino is good news for the unfortunate chidren it housed. WE MUST NOT BE COMPLACENT.

i cant believe that the so called women looking after these children never showed an ounce of love.and the director blaming everyone but herself for the poor way they were being treated is shocking.they are all to blame!!!yes money is needed for alot of things in the home but love or at least kindness doesnt cost anything....i feel i want to help but feel totally powerless from my sitting room.

it is a awful to see these children living like this but people can not blame the staff who work there they have not been shown any different .I have worked in care for a long time and its not so long ago when things like this went on here .Countryys like Bulgaria are about thirty years behind the uk and thats how some care homes were run here washed, dressed, bed two staff with twenty residents were as guilty as them belive me

Plz sign the UK E-petition Go to http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Children-Dying/#content

i watched the program on those precious children, I can tel you that I myself will never be able to understand how a mother can abandon her own child regardless of what type of a disability they may have let alone to be placed in a place where they neither recieved any treatment for their disability, nor are they fed properly. It is hearbrakig to me. Last night is when I watched the program, and tonight I have read that this wonderful lady that took interest to do somethig about these children is a God sent angel. I want to thank all of you for doing something to help these precious children live a life that they deserve Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will be able to sleep better tonight knowing this. Lily

I don't know what to say..or write at this moment. Obviously this documentary has affected me as it has you others. With all the power and money and "progress" in this world, where is our basic humanity, morals, love, and equality? Where are our leaders? Where is our God?

This documentary has just aired in Australia and I have never before been so distressed or disturbed by anything I have seen on TV. I urge everyone who has seen this doco to look at the following website: www.tbact.org and offer whatever support they can as I am sure this is not the only social care home in Bulgaria witht he same sorts of horror stories. I thought I might have mistakenly been watching a doco from the concentration camps of WW2.

Hello readers, This documentary left me very sad and not because I feel this is a special case. It made me feel that I really wanted to do something practical to help these kids. I have been contacting organisations inlucindg TBACT (the bulgarias abandoned children), Unicef, Bulgarian Consulate in Australia and can confirm that Mogilino Orphanage has not been closed and many of the children are still there. The reasons are simple, they are trying to find alternative accomodation for children but not all of them will be adopted and new homes have not yet been built. Siobhain from TBACT told me that they will fight for these children and will not allow them to be sent to another place until they are satisfied that the new place is better than Mogilino. Vasky I was highly touched by a girl who I thought was 8 or 9 and she turned out to be 18! Yes, it is Vasky. She was born blind but with no other medical condition and entered Mogilino as a baby. After 18 years of unimagineable neglet and loneliness, she now is bed ridden and has osteoporosis (bones of 60 year old woman). My first concern was that due to her condition: 1. blind 2. bed ridden 3. osteoporsis 4. malnutrition 5. most likely other medical conditions She has very little chance of being adopted or will be able to lead an independent life. The place she is highly likely to end up is an adult institution which are even worse than children institutions from what I have been told. I therefore began my investigations regarding how to help Vasky. After nearly three weeks of daily emails and phone calls, I now know that some of her medical needs are already being looked after. However, apart from her physical conditions I feel that her psychological wellbeing is paramount. Just think, she never had anybody in the world that truly cared for her or loved her as a child. I wanted to be able to keep contact with her in a form of letters etc but this is not so easy for numerous reasons. However, Siobhain from TBACT advised me that they are looking into Baba services which allocate people (locals, usually retired seniors) which have continuous contact and vistis one child on a regular basis to provide a stable companionship/friendship for that child. I thought this would be one of the best things that Vasky could ever have. Lets get together I think that there are likeminded people who are interested in helping these kids. I want to get a group of people who are interested in providing help, even if very small, for instance get together to pay for at least one Baba. A Baba for a child costs about 100 euros per month and Siobhain from TBACT (www.tbact.org) suggested that she can make our donations go directly to sponsor a Baba for a child or children. If anyone is interested, please email me at Gabriele.Hermansson@hotmail.com for more information. Thank you!

HOW MANY OTHER MOGOLINOS ARE THERE? PEOPLE SUFFERING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.