National Foster Care Association, Bulgarian Association “Adopted and Adopters“ and "Friends 2006" Foundation organized a lecture - discussion on the transition from foster care to adoption. Speaker of the conference was Irmela Vihman, German psychotherapist with extensive experience, including as a foster parent. She was in Bulgaria at the invitation of the "Friends 2006" Foundation. Participants in the meeting were foster parents, adoptive parents, specialists in foster care and adoption. Moderator of the meeting was Vera Kolesheva, which has many years of experience as a trainer of foster parents and adopters, part of the the National Foster Care Association team. The event was held with the support of Mtel.

The meeting was opened by the National Foster Care Association Chairman Miroslav Dolapchiev, who told about his personal experience as a foster parent, whose foster child is adopted. "I am very happy that the organization of foster parents and the association of adopters organize this meeting, during which we put importance on the child and his experiences, when adoption is about to happen. Getting attached is a very human and natural act. For this reason, separation is very difficult. But when we know what is the future of the child, parting is more than needed for the child to have his childhood in a safe family environment", said Miroslav Dolapchiev. He pointed out the need for foster parents and adoptive parents to know and support each other, especially in the first days after adoption, because it gives a message to the child that he/she has not been abandoned again. Currently, the practice in most places in the country is more than disappointing - foster parents are seen as competitors, there are numerous cases, in which children are "extorted" from the foster families, without being appropriately prepared for adoption. This is a practice that should not be tolerated, commented Miroslav Dolapchiev.

In her presentation the German therapist Irmela Vihman focused on building the relationship between the child and its future new family. A bond that cannot be built without the active participation of foster parents. The psychologist focused on the smooth acquaintance, in order to avoid abrupt change of temporary care with the new family. Among the advices is also the one that the child must leave the familiar surroundings, until after the new family has become a well-known part of his life. The child needs to be certain that his former life and he/she will not be deleted, commented Irmela Vihman.

Irmela Vihman pointed out some of the new tasks of the adoptive family. One of them, perhaps the most important, is to leave room for the sadness of the child. "The adoptive parents should accept sadness as part of life, including being sad with the child", shared Irmela Vihman. She also said that adopters have to work on both their biography and the history of the child, because this will help the acquaintance and the acceptance. "If everything past is taken away from the children, they will not be able to embark on the present and the future and to enjoy them. If the former home is replaced too quickly, the child perceives sudden change as fundamental rule for his future life. The slow building of relationships, communication and talks with love, give direction and security", said in conclusion Irmela Vihman.