site.btaProject to Provide 24/7 Support for Unaccompanied Refugee Children

A BGN 26 million project offering alternative social services for refugee children will provide care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Deputy Interior Minister Filip Popov said on Tuesday during a presentation of the project "Creating Alternative Social Services for Unaccompanied Refugee Children in Bulgaria" at the Council of Ministers.

In addition to Popov, the presentation was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov, State Agency for Refugees Chair Ivan Ivanov and European Commission Representation in Bulgaria Head Yordanka Chobanova.

Popov explained that the initiative will be funded through the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, which in Bulgaria is administered by the International Projects Directorate at the Interior Ministry.

He stated that the ministry, through its agencies, has clear responsibilities in providing initial care and referral of unaccompanied foreign children to protection services.

“The issue of unaccompanied foreign children within the international protection system is of particular importance, both in terms of national asylum and migration policy and in the context of Bulgaria's European and international obligations,” Popov emphasized.

According to him, the project will support further assistance in the safe zones operated by the State Agency for Refugees, offering specialized care for unaccompanied refugee children. It will ensure round-the-clock care, including psycho-social and legal support, during the early stages of the asylum procedure. The children will also be prepared for transition to alternative care arrangements, through the provision of healthcare, education, employment opportunities, and lifelong learning skills.

“Through cooperation with local authorities across the country, new spaces will be developed for alternative care, offering non-institutional settings tailored to each child’s specific needs.” This, Popov noted, will ensure access to social services and support the development of vital life skills and the integration of children seeking a new home in Bulgaria. “This approach is of strategic importance for the country in guaranteeing protection for unaccompanied minors within regional departments,” he commented.

Popov also underlined the crucial role of project partners, including the International Organization for Migration, UNICEF, and the southern Bulgarian municipalities of Burgas, Malko Tarnovo, Tundzha, and Ivaylovgrad. The involvement of international organizations will help ensure that the project is implemented according to the highest standards, he said.

He concluded that the creation of alternative social services for unaccompanied refugee children is a major step forward in developing an effective model for improving care and social integration for one of the most vulnerable groups among those seeking protection.