Zvezdelina Atanasova, methodologist and trainer and Magdalena Tsoneva, training coordinator at Karin Dom took part in a work meeting of the organizations financed by the Tulip Foundation.  The Tulip Foundation’s programme for the support of children and families in the community is aimed at preventing child institutionalization.  The meeting was also attended by organizations financed by the Oak Foundation in Bulgaria. The meeting was held on December 20th and 21st, 2010, in Sofia.

 

The meeting was intended to be an exchange of information between the participants.  Some of the information included; identifying new ideas for working with children and families and the extra support needed for their realization.  There was also a discussion regarding the forthcoming interim programme reports.

Zvezdelina Atanasova and Magdalena Tsoneva gave a presentation on family centered practices. This outlines the principles, practices, and philosophy for providing services to children and families. It views families not as passive recipients of services but unique and constant in their children’s lives.  Families are recognized as experts regarding the abilities and needs of their children. In family-centered practice there is a team approach and the families are part of the team.

Karin Dom is one of the first organizations in Bulgaria that has successfully applied aspects of the family-centered approach in their work with families. The family-centered approach fully supports the goal that we set in our work, namely the prevention of child institutionalization.