Bulgaria's 2024 Biennial report on the implementation of the Child Guarantee – an overview
Three years after the adoption of the European Child Guarantee, EU Member States are releasing the first report on its implementation. The reports offer an overview of the context, target groups, and services established to execute the European Child Guarantee’s National Action Plans. Additionally, they include sections covering indicators, financing details, and insights and conclusions gleaned from the implementation process.
The Bulgarian Government submitted its 2024 Biennial report on the implementation of the Child Guarantee in July 2024.
The report focuses on:
- Early childhood education and care: Improving the coverage and quality and expanding the network of early childhood development services. Fee paid for children children at risk. Establishment of a National Quality Framework, and an inter-institutional working group, including the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Ministry of Health and other institutions, various organisations and professionals with expertise on the subject.
- Education and school-based activities: Creation of a Functional Assessment Map and a platform with resources for children with special educational needs. Support for personal development in school education and promoting intercultural education.
- Healthcare: A National Coordinating Council on Maternal and Child Health was established, alongside training on reproductive health and child care. Legislative changes improved medical care quality and access. Preventive examinations for children expanded, and support for children with disabilities increased. Establishment of a National Pediatric Hospital and strategies for child health and mental health.
- Healthy meal each school day:Free meals for children in full-day nursery and kindergarten and a National Strategy for the implementation of a scheme for the supply of fruit, vegetables, milk and dairy products in kindergartens, schools and special education support centres.
- Adequate housing: Funding social housing projects and providing appropriate accommodation for children seeking and receiving international protection.
- Alternative care: Twenty centres for children with disabilities and six for high risk children are under construction. A Council has been established to support the closure of the four remaining institutional care settings, including by developing a foster care system for children with disabilities. Two interministerial groups are working to close two of the institutions. Social services sector reform remains a priority.
Check out the rest of the 2024 Biennial reports on the implementation of the Child Guarantee!
Eurochild and its members will continue to call on Member States to release their biennial reports and work to ensure the Child Guarantee National Action Plans help end child poverty.
This summary provides key highlights from the Biennial report on the Child Guarantee implementation in Bulgaria published in July 2024. It is not exhaustive or evaluative.