The aim of the visit from 5 to 10 July 2015 was for the participants to get to know the adaptation, application and development of the Sure Start programme for children aged 0 to 5 and their parents in the community.
The agenda for the visit was organized with the special cooperation of Maria Herzog, who presented a review of the development of the Hungarian child care system with focus on deinstitutionalization, programmes for prevention and early intervention. The participants got acquainted with the Sure Start programme that has been developed in the UK and later adapted and introduced in Hungary with the support of EU. We visited together a child house Sure Start that is being established as part of the programme in VIII region of Budapest – a neighborhood which is known for a high percentage of Roma and Chinese immigrants.
During the second day Erika Kovacs, coordinator of Sure Start programme in Hungary, told about the development, the achievements and the challenges of the programme, the EU and national funding and answered numerous questions. David Kiss, programme director of Maltese Order in Hungary, presented in a very emotional and moving way a project that is part of the Sure Start programme in Roma community near Budapest.
The Bulgarian group of civil organisations visited three more Sure Start houses in Seceny, Varshany and a village in Nograd region on 8 July. Along with the children’s houses we also saw other services and activities for children. At a meeting with Antipoverty Foundation in their office we discussed the visited programmes with the hosts, raised questions and discussed similarities and differences in relation to our work in Bulgaria. On the way back to Budapest we stopped in a Roma neighbourhood outside a settlement and talked with the people.
The last working day was intense and interesting as well. We started with a meeting and discussion with Zsuzsa Martonffy, well known Hungarian journalists who is also writing a blog on adoption. She has adopted two children herself. The theme was the adoption of children in Hungary. During the second part of the day the participants shared their impressions from the study visit and discussed various ideas and opportunities to apply what they have seen and learned in practice in Bulgaria.
