Helping Hand Foundation, Dobrich 

Aim: Introduction of new effective practices for timely and adequate support for children, families and young mothers at risk in the municipalities Dobrich and Dobrichka aimed at improving the quality of life and limiting the number of children placed in institutions 
Activities: The activities are based on a new approach in the work of the team aimed at early prevention for identification of families at risk and early intervention in a form of social support. Information for families, children and pregnant women in villages and the neighborhoods will be collected with the support of mayors, general practitioners and the local communities. Case work will be applied on the base of assessment of the needs. Potential sources of support, the strong and the weak sides of parents, children and pregnant women at risk as well as opportunities for positive influence will be identified. Early intervention of a social worker in the first hours after a baby has been born for whom there are indicators that might be left in a institution have been planed for the successful prevention work. Personal contact will be one of the main characteristics of a prevention work in the maternity clinic. Consultation regarding the motives and the possible options in overcoming the problems will be offered. The activities also include meetings and discussions with students on themes like reproductive health, contraceptives, sex transmitted diseases, child development and the need of children to be raised in a family environment. 
Target groups: Twenty pregnant women at risk of abandoning their children in institution; 50 young mothers for whom there is a signal from the maternity clinic that they are planning to leave their child; 50 families (and their children), who already have one or more children placed in an institution or the family has expressed an intention to place a child in a social home; families where the parents have no income or a house to live; families with serious health problems, parents who are not able to provide conditions for the physical and emotional development of their child; children at risk of dropping out of school; neglected children etc. 
Grant: 51 080 leva 
Contacts: Albena Boneva 
Dobrich 9300 
j.k. Dobrotiza bl. 9 ent. B floor 3 ap. 6 
Tel.: +359 58 588 920 
office@hhf.bg 
www.hhf.bg