Crisis Makes Mothers Abandon Their Babies

The financial crisis forces many mothers to abandon their kids, The Standart inquiry showed. Since the beginning of 2009 a record number of kids have been left in the Home for Medical and Social Care in Pernik, southwestern Bulgaria.   Mothers have abandoned a total of 12 children within the last three months. The abandoned kids in the whole of 2008 were 14. The reason is that poorer families and single parents fear they would not be able to look after the children, social workers explain. Both Roma and Bulgarian children are abandoned. Most of the children are from Pernik region but a few come from Sofia.
Adoption procedure in Bulgaria is time-consuming and cumbersome. Only four children have found foster homes since January. Last year the number of adoptions was 14. Of the 47 children currently residing in Pernik's childcare institution, 12 are seriously handicapped, a fact that hinders their adoption further. The Parliament should amend the legislation or the children will remain parentless for long, all experts believe.
Currently parents who abandon their kids are usually unwilling to sign a declaration of disavowing parental rights.
Elena Angleova