Source:
The Bulgarian Abandoned Children's Trust via the Wayback Machine, webcapture dated 13 December, 2007
The update:
Many, many thanks to all of you who have registered as supporters of our campaign. We have had a fantastic response and it has taken us some time to respond to the huge number of emails we have recieved [sic]. Please find below a summary of the latest news:
Following the controversy that ‘Bulgaria’s Abandoned Children’ has stirred in the UK and Bulgaria, direct action has been taken to improve the immediate care of the children at Mogilino to ensure that they receive improved standards of nutrition, exercise and therapy.
An alliance of key organisations has been formed to put in place the immediate recovery plan whilst long term care options are resolved for the children. Unicef is leading this alliance and we are supporting their efforts.
The first stages of the plan have been undertaken. Each child at Mogilino has been assessed so that individual rehabilitation programmes can be put into place to ensure they have the suitable levels of therapy and care that they need. These programmes are starting to be implemented and speech therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists are starting to work with the children. More therapists will be needed in future months.
The children's diet, which was an area of great concern to so many of us, is now being greatly improved. A paediatrician assessed the children in early November and judged one third of them to be malnourished and dehydrated and as a result some of the children were hospitalised. Nutritional supplements continue to be given to the children and the new local major [sic] is providing an additional 4000 lev to the food budget. Some local companies have also made food donations. Menu plans have been developed and it is now felt the children are receiving enough food including fresh fruit and their general diet has improved.
The kitchen and hygiene standards at the Institute were considered unsatisfactory and local health services have been called in to improve this.
The Director of the Institute resigned in mid November.
The manager of the specialist care work at the institute is being handled by two Unicef representatives.
The care staff are still in place and are receiving supervision.
The new Mayor has arranged for a house in the village to be available for the Unicef team to live in whilst they carry out their work at Mogilino.
Some specific information about the children
Didi is still at Mogilino and is not showing any signs of improvement yet. However a team of Bulgarian lawyers have taken on her case to argue that Didi has been arbitrarily detained. This is critical to any long term plans for her.
Stoyan was hospitalised and has had an operation to help him to digest and absorb his food.
Vasky was also hospitalised. She has now been discharged and is back at Mogilino. Her rehabilitation programme has begun.
Milen is at the Protected Home he was sent to after the abuse he suffered at Mogilino and is doing really, really well. We will continue to monitor the situation at Mogilino and report to all our supporters on a regular basis.
We continue to campaign for political pressure and can announce today there will be a meeting at the European Parliament in Brussels in the new year.
A number of MEPs have been firing in Parliamentary Questions about the subject since the documentary was first aired on the BBC and many constituent letters have been generated by the film.
In the light of that Kate Blewett has been invited to show the film in the European Parliament, before which there will be a hearing on the whole area of the state of care in the Bulgarian mental health sector. This meeting will be taking place on the afternoon of the 4th March 2008.
Kind regards and thank you again for your support
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