The project aims to strengthen transnational cooperation between the Municipality of Sungurlare, Bulgaria and the Centre of Expertise for Social Welfare in South-East Finland, Laaperanta, in their efforts to create more opportunities for social inclusion of families with young children in a similar social situation. Specifically in Bulgaria, the project activities will help local authorities and families to meet the needs for early childhood development of children aged 0-6 years from families of ethnic minorities and marginalised communities. Within the project Sungurlare Municipality will receive opportunities to study in-depth through expert approach the innovative practices “Family Center” and “Children paint”, creating a safe, developing social space for children and their parents. In addition, the project will explore the practice of providing integrated services through a cross-sectoral, multidisciplinary approach tailored and adapted to the specific needs and structure of the population. A documentary study, a study visit and expert meetings will be carried out face-to-face and online, which will lead to the development of expert evidence with description and analysis of the practices studied. The project also envisages activities to transfer the researched practices after appropriate adaptation to the specific needs of the target groups and the local context in the municipality of Sungurlare. For this purpose, partner meetings will be realised for discussion and mutual sharing, field work in Sungurlare for application of the practice “Children paint”, in which the parents of the children are involved, construction of a family center and an intersectoral municipal working group for early childhood development. We expect to achieve a socio-innovation approach that will increase the opportunities in the municipality for the early childhood development of children from socially excluded families, improve parental capacity and cross-sectoral partnership in the municipality, as well as build a lasting partnership with colleagues from Finland.
