Home Care for Pregnant Women and Young Children in Bulgaria: A New Model and Challenges in Pazardzhik

The Ministry of Health is introducing a new national model for home care, which will cover not only newborns but also pregnant women and families with children up to 2 years old. Previously, the Bulgarian system was limited to the period after birth and to children up to 6 months old.

Pazardzhik social workers expressed their opinion that there is a lack of sufficiently trained medical specialists in this field and are questioning how the government will cope with this deficit. At the same time, they welcome the initial steps toward real prevention of child abandonment in maternity wards, emphasizing the importance of working with parents on-site.

Funding for the start of the program is planned at 1 million euros for 2026, and the funds will be directed toward developing mechanisms to support the most crucial period of a child's life. It is anticipated that about 6% of the target group will be covered annually, thereby supporting thousands of families by 2030.

Services will be provided through regular home visits by nurses and midwives, who will assist parents, help develop their skills, and monitor signs of early developmental problems in the child. The model will be implemented through health consultancy centers across all regions of the country and is part of the National Program for Improving Maternal and Child Health 2021–2030.

All actions will be carried out in close cooperation with general practitioners, pediatricians, and obstetricians-gynecologists, with the goal of complementing existing medical care rather than duplicating it. Three levels of support are envisaged – universal, progressive, and targeted, with the needs assessment starting from the first home visit, based on standardized criteria.

The home care service will develop alongside medical care, aiming to build a strong emotional connection between families and their children, as well as early detection and overcoming of risks.

Source: Zname.info