The idea for this project was born due to the social situation in Veliko Tarnovo Municipality in 2009 and the serious problems identified by the Association in working with children and families at risk. According to data of the Child Protection Department, Veliko Tarnovo, the predominant protection measure is placing children in a specialized institution. There are also many cases when measures are undertaken for protection in family environment and the highest percentage of families supported by the Social Assistance Directorate is that of families with many children and single parents. The unemployment rate among women is high, approximately 30% of children and adolescents live outside the municipality centre, in small settlements where the unemployment rate and low level of education of the parents lead to unsatisfactory quality of life of the children, high school drop-out rate, and frequently – antisocial behaviour. In small settlements, the access of children to social services related to prevention of risk behaviour is difficult, no alternative forms of support for the parents are developed, and the capacity of active local communities is not utilised. The Association’s experience in working with children at risk has shown that special treatment of issues on early prevention is necessary – overall support for the family before and after birth, assistance in child upbringing, orientation for parents in terms of child problems and creation of the possibility for parents to learn how to meet their children’s needs adequately.
The target group of the project was families from the town of Veliko Tarnovo, town of Debelets, and the villages Resen, Vodoley and Sheremetia, where there is a risk of child abandonment or placing the child in a specialized institution, families at risk of deterioration/ termination of family ties, single parent families, families with children dropping out of school, and families seeking advice on raising and educating their children. The establishment of six parent support groups and their participation in a ten-module training on responsible parentage helped develop new skills and knowledge in the parents on how to be responsible and meet child needs.
The main project objective was development and dissemination of a new model of a social service for children and families at risk, aimed at early risk prevention through formation of responsible parentage skills.
To this end, a Programme for formation of skills in responsible parentage was developed, containing: Methodology for group work for parental skills training, including theoretical and practical aspects, and a Methodological guide including 10 training modules for group work with parents. Six parent support groups were established comprising 12 parents each – two groups in the town of Veliko Tarnovo, and one group in the town of Debelets and the villages of Resen, Sheremetia and Vodoley each. The groups were established on the basis of the work of volunteers, the multi-disciplinary team, individual work of social workers and volunteer parental participation. The group trainings were conducted by 2 experts. In the course of group trainings, sharing, mutual support and informal contacts between parents were encouraged. In the course of 10 months, each group underwent 10 group trainings where the parents’ awareness of issues related to meeting child needs was raised and they interactively “practiced” new responsible parentage models.
The practical value of the project lies in the change of attitudes and stereotype ways of thinking, change of the attitude and behaviour of parents towards their children. The group work program includes topics such as child development, the place of the child in the family, child play, the child and school, child anxiety, the phenomenon of communication, and others.
The 60 trainings that were carried out provided the opportunity for the 57 parents who participated to have a dialogue, a safe place to pose important problems and review them from the “inside” – as own experiences – and from the “outside – as the experiences of the same or similar situation of the other participants. In the group trainings the parents were active participants in the process, encouraged to self-evaluate themselves and recognize the existence of different parentage models. The group training represented an active seeking of answers, not their passive memorization. As a new model of working with parents, the group training focused on the functioning of the family and works for positive upbringing and RESPONSIBLE PARENTAGE – before a crisis or a risk situation arises.
Practical changes for the target group achieved in project implementation:
- The establishment of parent support and psycho-social support helped develop mutual support among the parents, overcome stereotype ways of thinking, in minority ethnic groups in particular, enhance the skills and knowledge of parents related to orientation about child problems and finding an adequate approach to meet the child’s needs. Group work helps overcome the social isolation of parents at risk and provides them with new coping mechanisms.
- The guide with materials on group training on responsible parentage, information brochures for parents “Booklet for brave and unbrave parents” and “Pass on the good parent experience” are disseminated among professionals and parents in the municipality of Veliko Tarnovo. The methodology for group training of responsible parentage skills was promoted in State Agency for Child Protection, Social Assistance Agency, Social Assistance Directorate and social services providers and helps enhance the capacity of professionals for group parent training
- Enhances sensitivity and awareness of the public regarding the problems of children and families at risk
Contact information
Plamen Stoianov, Project leader
8A Paskal Todorov Str., Sofia 1618, Bulgaria
Albena Prokopieva, Project coordinator
4 Dimitar Naidenov Str., Veliko Tarnovo 5003, Bulgaria
Tel.: ++359 62 65 00 36
Cell Phone: ++359 885 999 546
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