Bulgaria will strengthen its cooperation with UNICEF in the prevention of early school dropout and the access of disabled children or those at risk of poverty to education. This is what emerged from the meeting held between President Rosen Plevneliev and the UNICEF representative in Bulgaria Maria Jesus Conde. The two were unanimous that facilitating the access to high-quality education is of key importance for the successful professional realization on the labor market and a full integration in society.

The presidential institution will continue to support the policies pursued in the education and social sectors, directed at the underprivileged children and youth, President Plevneliev further assured. “The solidarity with the problems of the children and youth, demonstrated not only by the representatives of the private sector, but also by the whole Bulgarian public, is revealing,” Maria Jesus Conde said. The Head of State briefed Maria Jesus Conde on the process of deinstitutionalization of the Bulgarian children deprived of parental care. Since the beginning of the process the number of children and youth placed in specialized institutions has declined threefold and the services provided to families and children have doubled.  In the 2010-July 2015 period a total of 49 institutions were closed down and a network of cares and services was provided to 4,900 children and youth, which allows them to grow up in an environment close to the family one.

“Bulgaria is determined to keep its promise and successfully complete the process of deinstitutionalization,” the Head of State further said and highlighted that our country is ready to share its experience with the Southeast European countries. A regional UNICEF conference, dedicated to ending the process of placing children under three years of age in specialized institutions, was held under the auspices of the Bulgarian President in 2012.

Maria Jesus Conde highly appreciated the reforms launched by Bulgaria to implement, with the support of  UNICEF, workable practices in the youth justice sector. Four “blue rooms” are already functioning in Bulgaria, which facilitates the dialogue and communication with the children and youth that have become victims or witnesses of crimes.