At the end of last year, 97 children with disabilities were accommodated in medical and social care homes in Bulgaria, the National Statistical Institute (NSI) announced.
Compared to the previous year, their number decreased by 18.5%. On December 31, 2024, 119 children with problems were accommodated in such homes, decreasing by 45.7% compared to 2023.
The deinstitutionalization reform envisages removing all children from the homes and closing these institutions, the NSI reminds.
Daniela Koleva from UNICEF - Bulgaria, notes the remarkable progress of the reform. In 2000, over 35,000 children were accommodated in various social homes, with Bulgaria being among the first in Europe. Today, thanks to the reforms and investments, there are only two homes for young children in the country, which will be closed by the end of next year.
According to data from the Social Assistance Agency, these two homes are in Pleven and Varna, where 100 children with severe disabilities are accommodated, needing constant medical care.