Karin Dom Foundation, Varna
New Project 2019
Karin Dom – Early Childhood (Special Needs) Development Outreach Course:
Therapy programmes tailored for pre-school children with special needs and their parental carers selected from municipalities throughout Bulgaria attending Karin Dom in Varna.
Project 2017
Improving the quality of life and social integration of children in foster care
Implementation period: March 2017 – February 2018
Financed by: Friends of Bulgaria Association
The Project:
Placements 2017 – 7 children aged 0-7 yrs with special needs
Offers Early Intervention support programmes for young children and their foster parents to improve a child’s chance of adoption and equal start in successful education and later life.
Programme method:
Introduces children and parents to practices devised to promote the development of independent thought and action as preparation for the transition to kindergarten schooling and social integration in school environment:
- routines for training motor and communication skills
- delivered in individual and group sessions with specialist physio, psychological, speech and music therapists and social workers supporting the family unit
- benefitting from facilities at Karin Dom: eg: Physiotherapy equipment, Toy Library
Interim Feedback Report – March-September 2017
Children are referred to the programme by the Child Protection Agency and Varna Municipal Social Services.
Each foster child entering CSRI Karin Dom is assessed by a team of specialists and given a detailed working plan based on Bobath, PECS and Makaton therapeutic methods to fulfil intended goals to be implemented in individual and group sessions led by trained therapists at Karin Dom and at home, together with individual nutrition plans.
The use of the Toy Library is a key feature to all plans to offer a structured environment for parents and children to negotiate their environments and engage social inter-active skills.
Foster parents receiving guidance from specialist social workers gained confidence in their parental role and support from contact with other foster parents, securing the family-centered method to ensure continuity in the child’s care and development, eliminating the risk of disrupted foster placements.
The children’s cognitive, motor, social and communication skills benefitted from the programme routines: some of the children have secured places at school in September 2017.
In November 2017, the Foster Project receives the "Savior for Childhood" Award, having been nominated by a parent, experienced (11 yrs) foster parent, Nikoleta Naidenova:
"Karin Dom is the place where every child is accepted as it is, regardless of their apparent difference. I have been a foster parent for 11 years and I have not faced the care of a disabled child until a little girl with a host of health problems has been brought home, requiring more specific care than the love and care of each child.
When we took her home she had many difficulties. She could not eat (with) a spoon, stay sitting, but that was our slightest difficulty. The heaviest, despite the physical deficits, was the emotional wasteland with which this child came home.
With the help and care of the specialists from the early intervention team of Karin Dom, we transformed certain places in our home to meet its special needs. With its enormous patience and professionalism, the Logotherapist Svetla and the rehabilitator Vladi not only helped the child but also taught me and the other members of our foster family how to take care of the child when they are not with us.
With their support, we felt more relaxed, more prepared for the difficulties we had. Their 24-hour support that we felt made us brave foster parents. Now we see progress in the development of our foster child. The little one is eating a spoon. We're working more and more skillfully for fine motoring. She is already seated, and the creep is walking. I'm sure that if these two girls were not in our lives, we would not be able to do that. What is crucial, however, for the success of our little receptionist is the understanding of adults for shared care, professionalism, shared trust and … big hearts.’
For full report
https://karindom.org/karindom-poluchi-otlichieto-spasitel-na-detstvoto/