In this paper, Lumos reviews Bulgaria’s national strategy on deinstitutionalisation, adopted in 2010, and provides recommendations for ensuring the rights of children in the process. This paper has been written in the light of Bulgaria’s Universal Periodic Review. It outlines a set of recommendations which will ensure the deinstitutionalisation process in Bulgaria will meet the needs and respect the rights of all children involved and to help ensure that policy in this area is in line with Bulgaria’s international human rights commitments.
The paper describes the need for a child-centered approach in deinstitutionalisation and the need to ensure quality care for children with disabilities. The paper also highlights two groups of children who have been left out of the national plan: those living in residential special schools and those in juvenile justice facilities. The paper concludes with 5 recommendations for addressing the weaknesses in the implementation of the national strategy for deinstitutionalisation.
