site.btaYambol Discussion Highlights Need for More Foster Families

Even though foster care provides children in need of protection with safety, stability, love and the chance to experience a normal daily life, its development in Bulgaria requires more motivated foster families, professional support and a lasting commitment from the State. This was the main message of a discussion on foster care held at the BTA National Press Club in Yambol on Tuesday. It is part of the "Foster Me" initiative, launched jointly by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Social Assistance Agency and BTA.

The discussion highlighted that Yambol Region is one of five regions in Bulgaria with fewer than 30 foster families. Social services provide foster parents with ongoing professional support and guidance, but local experts called for foster care to become a permanent state social service, rather than relying primarily on project-based funding, and for clearer criteria when assessing prospective foster parents. Social workers also highlighted the importance of trust between professionals and foster families, as well as the need to understand that foster care requires a 24-hour commitment and is not a route to adoption.

For foster parents, however, the work goes far beyond practical care. Professional foster parent Ivanichka Stoykova, who has welcomed children into her home for six years, said love is at the heart of the role. "These are human beings," she stressed, noting that emotional attachment is inevitable, but the priority is always to give children security and help them move forward in a suitable family environment. Foster parent Rada Daverova, who began fostering in 2025, said her greatest reward is seeing a child reach a happy outcome, including returning to their biological family. "Love is a fundamental factor a child needs," she said.

"Foster Me" is part of the project "Strengthening the capacity of Social Assistance Agency staff in relation to the modernization of social protection systems" – Component 1, aimed at the development of foster care in Bulgaria and strengthening the capacity of those involved in it: social workers, municipal employees, foster parents and others. The project is funded under the Human Resources Development Programme, co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus.