This program’s goal is to facilitate the development of professionals’ practice skills of working with children and families in the social, educational and health sectors. During their training the students will acquire theoretical knowledge and the most recent scientific data in the field of individual development and family relations and how those are related to children’s rights policies. They will learn about and practice skills, innovative methods and interventions in working with specific groups of children and families and will gain international perspective on the priority areas related to child and family developments in EU and globally.

The specific groups of children and families central to this program are:

● Children living in abusive and neglectful environment,

● Children living in residential services,

● Children in conflict with the law,

● Victims of trafficking, physical, and sexual abuse,

● Children involved in prostitution,

● Children with disabilities and their families,

● Children of different ethnic groups and cultures (Roma children, refugees, etc.),

● Children and families living in poverty,

● Children of parents working abroad,

● Children with chronic conditions (eg. HIV-positive children).

This program is designed for those applicants who have experience in working with children and families in social services, in the school and the health sectors. Applicants from other sectors are invited to apply too. The prerequisite for them is to take additional courses offered in the preparatory term before starting the internship section of the program aimed at acquiring skills for working with at-risk children and managing services for at-risk children.

The major goal of the program is to provide the students with the necessary knowledge and skills for implementing the Casework approach. Therefore, its central section is internhips under supervision. During the internship the students will integrate the acquired knowledge in their working with children and families developing specific skills used in the process of assessing, planning, and implementing interventions aimed at providing a safe for children in family and community life.

The program team will provide the students with the opportunity to:

● Practice Casework,

● Work in multidisciplinary teams,

● Understand the dynamics of professional-client relations,

● Understand and manage relationships within the multidisciplinary team,

● Understand the philosophy and ethical standards of modern practice in working with children, as well as the skills to apply them elsewhere,

● Using modern training methods, online discussions with lecturers and students from other European universities, participating in international webinars, use of online training resources in the field of child protection,

● Use this knowledge obtained to ensure the quality of their work, and to improve their professional environment.

Ensuring international standards

This program has been developed in collaboration with international teams of university professors and practitioners in social work working in the following projects:

● “Improving the protection of children and their well-being in Europe: Enhancing the training program” (funded by the Erasmus+ program.) Within this project, modules for distance learning in social work are being developed along with sychronization of social work training programs of 8 European universities.

● The “Child Welfare Program” is funded by the Austrian Development Agency, the European Union, the Oak Foundation, Terre des Hommes, and the Kanton Zurich Lottery Fund. This project created a platform for professional dialogue around the world in the field of child protection and is a training resource for students ad practitioners. The NBU participates in this platform through one of its research centres, the Know-How Centre for Alternative Child Care.

Flexibility of training: Course and internship schedules are tailored to the student’s work commitments. One-fifth of the training is provide through distance learning methods like webinars and access to online resources.

The courses‘ content is regularly updated on the basis of the student’s and practitioners’ feedback, and the annual analysis of the practitioner’s training needs.

This program was developed in cooperation with the International Advisory Council. This council consults and supervises the development of the program. Its task is to maintain the standards of the program and to ensure that the feedback from students and practitioners is integrated on a regular basis.

Members of the International Advisroy Council Are:

- Prof. Jane Reeves, co-director of the Children’s Rights Center at Kent University, UK

- Dr. Helen Whincup, social work teacher at Stirling University, UK

- Dr. Paul Rigby, social learning teacher at Stirling University, UK

- Peter Tsintarsky, representative of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Bulgaria

- Dr. Elena Kabakchieva, chair of the Health and Social Development Foundation

- Renee Turston, child and family psychotherapist, London, UK

- Prof. Joan Burzoff, clinical social worker, psychotherapist, teacher, USA

- Prof. Andrew Bilson, professor of social work, University of Central Lancashire, UK