Can the State Agency for Child Protection improve in terms of its staff and structure?
The adopted changes to the Law for Child Protection also impose changes to the structure of the agency.
To which organisations abroad is the State Agency for Child Protection similar?
The relevant organisations in The Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia and Croatia have structures similar to ours.
Which structures and NGOs in the country do you work best with?
A key principle of the SACP is the establishment of close co-operation with the ministries and departments, which have reference to the policy towards children, as well as juristic persons with non-commercial goals, for co-ordination of activities. The SACP has a mechanism for co-ordination on an institutional level - the National Council for Child Protection. Representatives of the ministries of Education, Labour and Social Policy, Health, Justice, Interior Affairs, Finance, Culture and Sports and Youth, participate within the framework of the council. The national union of municipalities in Bulgaria and some juristic persons with non-commercial activities are also involved in the framework of the Council. The latter and the SACP have established mutual projects, consultations, legislative initiatives, research and distribution of good practices. The names I would like to mention are UNICEF, the International Organisation on Migration, Save The Children, Partners-Bulgaria Foundation, the Animus Association, Care International Bulgaria Foundation, the Open Society Foundation and Every Child Foundation.
Is the Ministry of Interior a responsible partner in the work with children?
With the adopted law on Child Protection the Ministry of interior is responsible for protection of the child.
Which country will you choose as an example for its work with children and why?
The countries from the European Union share a unified policy in relation to children.
Scandinavian countries are famous for their successful social policy. Answering your question I would point out Austria in which an effective children's ombudsman is functioning in its nine provinces for optimal child protection. The system for child protection, which we are trying to build in Bulgaria is similar to the Austrian model and the SACP is working on an international project in co-operation with Austrian experts for the third year already.
Do you think that there is room for concern about the issues of child drug addiction and prostitution?
These issues provoke worry of worldwide significance. According to the Annual Report by the National Council on Narcotics the age limit of children who have tried drugs is dropping, and the usage of narcotics is increasing. The Government has adopted a national strategy for fighting drugs, 2003-2008, in which the SACP is taking part with concrete proposals. The child prostitution problem is a part of a more global world problem, the sexual exploitation of children. Sexual exploitation of children in all its forms (pornography, sex tourism, prostitution, sexual slavery, trafficking in children) and it is acquiring worrying dimensions in the contemporary world. The internet, globalisation and the new technologies favour this. Irrespective of the progress achieved, Bulgaria does not remain isolated from the increasing tempo of sexual exploitation of children for commercial purposes. The SACP has undertaken immediate measures with preventative purposes, and to restrict the spread of the problem. A national plan for action against sexual exploitation of children with commercial purpose has been drawn up. It is about to be approved by the Cabinet.
Are there any programmes which you would like to implement in Bulgaria but still have not done so?
After a decision by the National Council on Child Protection, the SACP, together with representatives of state institutions and with the active participation of NGOs, drafted a National Strategy for Protection and Social Integration of Disabled Children, which will be consistent with state policy, the Child Protection Law, and other international documents on the rights of disabled people.
The main principles on which the strategy is built are the rights of disabled children declared in the UN Convention on the Rights of Children. The main goals which have to be achieved in the 2003-2005 period are formulated in the strategy and a number of concrete activities and measures for their implementation have been outlined.
The project of the disabled children strategy was included in the National Strategy for Equal opportunities of the Disabled People, that is in the process of getting approval.
The more significant activities in the strategy which have to be financed are connected mostly to:
· Developing the alternative types of care and social services for children and families in the community, which will aim at reducing the number of children in specialised institutions, prevention of child abandonment, and reintegration in the family environment
· Developing and introduction of state standards of the quality of care for disabled children
· Restructuring the specialised institutions for disabled children in order to offer qualitative services and closing down those which do not fulfill the state standards for care quality
· Providing an accessible architectural and environmental surrounding in public schools and kindergartens
· Providing accessible public transportation and transportation services for disabled children
· Providing social, psychological, and financial support for the parents raising disabled children
The SACP together with NGOs, other ministries and institutions developed a project for a National Strategy for protection of the Rights of the Children in the Streets, aiming at prevention of children being left in the streets, providing a suitable family environment and an adequate life standard to street children, access to education, health care, professional training, protection against all kinds of violence. The main activities, for which financing is necessary, are:
· Development of social services at the municipality level for supporting families while they are raising their children
· Introduction of minimum state standards for the quality of care and services for street children
· Creation of alternative educational forms and programs for reaching street children
· Creation of accessible health education programmes
· Developing social services for prevention of child abandoning such as family consulting and support, units for temporary accommodation of young mothers, educational programs, etc.
The National Strategy about Children in the Streets will soon be presented to the Ministry Council for approval so that the resources necessary for its implementation may be provided for by the state budget.
What should it be the role of the mass media in the work with children?
The mass media have got a very significant role in connection to children and in a few particular aspects. On one side, the media can demonstrate responsible behaviour in portraying children and childhood as a whole, respecting the inviolability, identity and dignity of children. On the other side, the media can give their constructive contribution to building public awareness on matters concerning children, and to turning public opinion towards nil tolerance of violence against children in all its forms.
The SACP has organised a series of forums acknowledging the significant importance of the media's role in portraying topics related to children. The SACP has organised seminars for journalists with the participation of the French experts Daniel Roar and Philip Lacade, and a round table on topics related to children in the media, in co-operation with the Save The Children Foundation and Partners-Bulgaria.
The adopted changes to the Law for Child Protection also impose changes to the structure of the agency.
To which organisations abroad is the State Agency for Child Protection similar?
The relevant organisations in The Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia and Croatia have structures similar to ours.
Which structures and NGOs in the country do you work best with?
A key principle of the SACP is the establishment of close co-operation with the ministries and departments, which have reference to the policy towards children, as well as juristic persons with non-commercial goals, for co-ordination of activities. The SACP has a mechanism for co-ordination on an institutional level - the National Council for Child Protection. Representatives of the ministries of Education, Labour and Social Policy, Health, Justice, Interior Affairs, Finance, Culture and Sports and Youth, participate within the framework of the council. The national union of municipalities in Bulgaria and some juristic persons with non-commercial activities are also involved in the framework of the Council. The latter and the SACP have established mutual projects, consultations, legislative initiatives, research and distribution of good practices. The names I would like to mention are UNICEF, the International Organisation on Migration, Save The Children, Partners-Bulgaria Foundation, the Animus Association, Care International Bulgaria Foundation, the Open Society Foundation and Every Child Foundation.
Is the Ministry of Interior a responsible partner in the work with children?
With the adopted law on Child Protection the Ministry of interior is responsible for protection of the child.
Which country will you choose as an example for its work with children and why?
The countries from the European Union share a unified policy in relation to children.
Scandinavian countries are famous for their successful social policy. Answering your question I would point out Austria in which an effective children's ombudsman is functioning in its nine provinces for optimal child protection. The system for child protection, which we are trying to build in Bulgaria is similar to the Austrian model and the SACP is working on an international project in co-operation with Austrian experts for the third year already.
Do you think that there is room for concern about the issues of child drug addiction and prostitution?
These issues provoke worry of worldwide significance. According to the Annual Report by the National Council on Narcotics the age limit of children who have tried drugs is dropping, and the usage of narcotics is increasing. The Government has adopted a national strategy for fighting drugs, 2003-2008, in which the SACP is taking part with concrete proposals. The child prostitution problem is a part of a more global world problem, the sexual exploitation of children. Sexual exploitation of children in all its forms (pornography, sex tourism, prostitution, sexual slavery, trafficking in children) and it is acquiring worrying dimensions in the contemporary world. The internet, globalisation and the new technologies favour this. Irrespective of the progress achieved, Bulgaria does not remain isolated from the increasing tempo of sexual exploitation of children for commercial purposes. The SACP has undertaken immediate measures with preventative purposes, and to restrict the spread of the problem. A national plan for action against sexual exploitation of children with commercial purpose has been drawn up. It is about to be approved by the Cabinet.
Are there any programmes which you would like to implement in Bulgaria but still have not done so?
After a decision by the National Council on Child Protection, the SACP, together with representatives of state institutions and with the active participation of NGOs, drafted a National Strategy for Protection and Social Integration of Disabled Children, which will be consistent with state policy, the Child Protection Law, and other international documents on the rights of disabled people.
The main principles on which the strategy is built are the rights of disabled children declared in the UN Convention on the Rights of Children. The main goals which have to be achieved in the 2003-2005 period are formulated in the strategy and a number of concrete activities and measures for their implementation have been outlined.
The project of the disabled children strategy was included in the National Strategy for Equal opportunities of the Disabled People, that is in the process of getting approval.
The more significant activities in the strategy which have to be financed are connected mostly to:
· Developing the alternative types of care and social services for children and families in the community, which will aim at reducing the number of children in specialised institutions, prevention of child abandonment, and reintegration in the family environment
· Developing and introduction of state standards of the quality of care for disabled children
· Restructuring the specialised institutions for disabled children in order to offer qualitative services and closing down those which do not fulfill the state standards for care quality
· Providing an accessible architectural and environmental surrounding in public schools and kindergartens
· Providing accessible public transportation and transportation services for disabled children
· Providing social, psychological, and financial support for the parents raising disabled children
The SACP together with NGOs, other ministries and institutions developed a project for a National Strategy for protection of the Rights of the Children in the Streets, aiming at prevention of children being left in the streets, providing a suitable family environment and an adequate life standard to street children, access to education, health care, professional training, protection against all kinds of violence. The main activities, for which financing is necessary, are:
· Development of social services at the municipality level for supporting families while they are raising their children
· Introduction of minimum state standards for the quality of care and services for street children
· Creation of alternative educational forms and programs for reaching street children
· Creation of accessible health education programmes
· Developing social services for prevention of child abandoning such as family consulting and support, units for temporary accommodation of young mothers, educational programs, etc.
The National Strategy about Children in the Streets will soon be presented to the Ministry Council for approval so that the resources necessary for its implementation may be provided for by the state budget.
What should it be the role of the mass media in the work with children?
The mass media have got a very significant role in connection to children and in a few particular aspects. On one side, the media can demonstrate responsible behaviour in portraying children and childhood as a whole, respecting the inviolability, identity and dignity of children. On the other side, the media can give their constructive contribution to building public awareness on matters concerning children, and to turning public opinion towards nil tolerance of violence against children in all its forms.
The SACP has organised a series of forums acknowledging the significant importance of the media's role in portraying topics related to children. The SACP has organised seminars for journalists with the participation of the French experts Daniel Roar and Philip Lacade, and a round table on topics related to children in the media, in co-operation with the Save The Children Foundation and Partners-Bulgaria.
