Our staff in Bulgaria work with parents and families who are struggling to stay together. We provide them with the essential resources they need, so that children are able to grow up in safe family environments, rather than in institutions.
Baby T* was born in Pleven with a congenital defect that required hospital care and surgery. His mother Tayna was worried about how she would be able to take care of him. She was struggling to provide the essentials he needed, and his medical condition was placing the family under real financial strain.
So when T returned to hospital again, Tanya signed a document agreeing that her son would be temporarily raised there while he was being treated, and beyond.
This document was confirmed by the district court, and it was agreed that Baby T would be looked after by the institution until he was three years old, or until Tanya was able to give him the level of care he needed again.
Because of her financial situation, Tanya’s home was in a state of disrepair, with unsafe sockets, hanging wires and a solid fuel stove. The house was also difficult to access and far from basic services and public transport.
But Tanya was eager to have her son back with her as soon as it was medically safe and financially possible. She visited T in hospital constantly, and applied to social services for a parental assessment to confirm that her home was a safe place for T to live in.
Once the doctors were happy that T was well enough to return home, our staff in Bulgaria helped Tanya source essentials like a cot, nappies and food so that she could welcome her son back to a loving home, and give him everything he needed to thrive.
Our staff helped fix up the house’s electrics, and provided Tanya with a pram so she can now easily get T to the shops and to the bus stop. We’ve also helped Tanya to access regular consultations with an orthopaedic surgeon for her son.
Alongside that work, we also arranged advice sessions for Tanya, so she has the reassurance of knowing she always has somewhere to go if she needs support and advice. Our staff were very close to Tanya during the whole process, and provided emotional support for her when she needed it most.
* Names have been changed to protect identities.
