NEW REGULATIONS FOR CHILD ADOPTION IN BULGARIA

09:00 Mon 18 Sep 2006

Fifty-two families in Bulgaria take care of children who otherwise would have to live in orphanages.

Other 57 families have been approved to take care of such children, Novinar newspaper reported.

Nearly 9600 children live in social institutions. According to estimates 1500 could be given to families willing to take care of them. The families do not adopt the children and the period during which children live with them varies from one month to 18 years.

Data was presented during the first national meeting between family representatives and officials from the Labour and Social Policy Ministry.

The meeting would continue on September 18. According to a new Labour and Social Policy Ministry plan families willing to take care of a child would sign an agreement with a directorate of the ministry. The aim would be to take as many children as possible out of social institutions, Novinar reported.

Comments

Comments by cb - 17:05 18 Sep 2006
	There would be a lot less children left in institutions/ orphanages if the Ministry would allow more international adoptions to go through. There are close to 1000 children who have been turned down for domestic adoptions and now await international adoption. However, these children are still stuck inside the "red tape" of the EU.
Comments by Stefani - 17:38 18 Sep 2006
	My husband and I have been waiting to adopt a child from Bulgaria for over a year & a half. The ministry just needs to have more referral meetings to move these children to permanent homes instead of a temporary home. We feel such frustration as we wait for our child. Our hearts are open and waiting to give a little one love.