700 children with congenital heart disease are born in Bulgaria every year. Almost half of them undergo one or more open-heart surgery intervention. More than 13 500 of these children have already reached maturity and are forming a very specific group of young people with congenital heart diseases. Thus, there are a lot of children with problems related to heart diseases such as high blood pressure, bronchial Asthma, rhythmic disabilities and many more.
Association “Child’s heart” has been working with families of chronically ill children for more than 18 years. Our long-standing experience led us to the necessity of developing a comprehensive study of the specific needs of these families. Our experience, as well as results of the study show that there is great need of establishing and expanding the services provided for this target group, as well as standardization and unification of the methodology for working with families with chronically ill children.
The main objective of the project is to improve social integration and rehabilitation of the children with cardiac and other chronic diseases by providing unified comprehensive social services.
Specific objectives: 1. Teamwork for unifying the social services provided to the target group 2. Providing full access for the families and children to all services in the three regions — Sofia, Bourgas, Dobrich 3. Implementation of health rehabilitation programs for children and teenagers with chronic diseases and their healthy peers from the country 4. Providing a safe place for training and trying out new models of behaviour and communication 5. Raising awareness and attracting the attention of the media and society to the problems and abilities of the chronically diseased children.
Activities: Medical, psycho-social, educational counseling for children and their parents, club activity for children, teenagers and parents, training in different skills, healthcare and rehabilitation programs and services, public activities — brochures, information bulletin, media events
Established and functioning multidisciplinary team comprising members of the three organizations; Unified comprehensive social services for children with chronic diseases and their families. Effective and adequate model for coordination between different specialists and services working with the target group; facilitated access to the provided social services; enhanced capacity and skills of the children and their parents to deal in difficult situations, improved resources for social integration and overcoming social isolation; improved social integration of the target group; financial support for 82 families who underwent their check-up in their towns, as well as for 159 families who used the social dormitories during their stay in Sofia; over 720 families benefited from the services provided under the project; over 92 children and teenagers participated in the club activity; participation of 120 children and youngsters in the 5 healthcare programs; Improved community attitude towards people with chronic diseases; 1050 copies of the information bulletin and 1500 brochures.
Contact information
Mila Markova
3 “Iakov Kraikov” Str., Sofia 1609, Bulgaria
Cell Phone: ++359 898 652 598
Fax: ++359 955 28 66
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