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create an optimal learning situation based on a child’s
particular interests. Parents are actively involved in
the planning and delivering of their child’s intervention,
which maximizes its positive effect.
It is important to note that Karin Dom does not
perform residential care. Early intervention services
are provided exclusively in the child’s natural environ-
ment – his or her home, playground, kindergarten, etc.
This model differs from Bulgaria’s common practice of
delivering centre-based services to young children.
Each Early Intervention Team consists of a physi-
cal therapist, speech therapists, special educator,
psychologist, paediatrician, social worker, and
breastfeeding consultant. The Foundation’s teaching
staff consists of five full-time members as well as five
additional members who work with the therapist team
but also work as part-time trainers. If necessary, Karin
Dom uses outsourcing services.
In addition, the programme includes breastfeeding
support, which is provided by Karin Dom’s partner
association “Colourful Future.” Breastfeeding sup-
port is provided to mothers of newborns while still in
maternity hospitals, especially to women who are at
risk of abandoning their children.
FUNDING:
Private and public funding have
been secured
The London-based Open Society Foundation has
been funding the Early Childhood Programme since
its inception. In addition, starting in July 2013 the
Municipality of Varna has been providing financing
to the centre for early intervention to prevent the
abandonment of children with disabilities. Because of
the close collaboration and open dialogue between
Karin Dom and the Municipality of Varna, the future
sustainability of the Early Intervention Centre appears
to be secure. Currently, however, the Municipality of
Varna is the only municipality in Bulgaria financing
early intervention services from its own budget.
Finally, the Foundation was pleased to obtain funding
for its “Family-Centred Approach: An instrument for
the prevention of institutionalization of children with
disabilities.” This is a continuing project within the
Early Intervention Programme, which is financed by
the Tulip Foundation and the OAK Foundation.
OUTLOOK:
Working on further dissemination
of the program
The positive experiences of the provision of early
intervention services by Karin Dom Foundation have
led to the recognition and active participation of
policy-makers at the local and national level. In 2014
the Foundation signed a contract with the Ministry of
Social Affairs for the development of a methodology
and the provision of trainings to 47 Early Intervention
Centres. Karin Dom’s perspective is to further support
the development of early intervention services in
Bulgaria through the provision of trainings and the
dissemination of good practices and approaches.
OBSTACLES THAT REMAIN:
Inaccessible architecture, lack of
assistance and training
There are still several obstacles that hinder In-
clusive Education for children with disabilities:
• Research shows that having a child with a
disability can lower the potential income of
parents, since social assistance is hardly
available and families will have the addition-
al expense of caring for their children.
• Inaccessible architectural environment and
transport are other factors that seriously
affect school and kindergarten attendance.
The Country Report on Accessibility (2012)
of the Academic Network of European
Disability Experts revealed that only 5 out
of 176 schools in the capital of Sofia are
totally accessible.
• There is a lack of extensive training for
teaching personnel on children with disabil-
ities and their special needs.
• Furthermore, there are still negative atti-
tudes among some teachers and parents
regarding the enrolment of children with
special educational needs in mainstream
settings, especially regarding children with
intellectual disabilities