Over 300 foster parents, children and young people in alternative care and scientists and experts in the system of child protection, dozens of non-governmental organizations from around the world attended at the International Conference on Foster Care hosted the "For Our Children" between 22 and 24 October. It was the 15th regional conference of the International Foster Care Organisation (IFCO), which was first held in Bulgaria.

Foster families and professionals from different countries met and exchanged experiences, ideas and challenges that are facing in their responsible task of caring for children who are unable to live with their biological parents and are at risk of abandonment.

"The interest in the conference is a sign that Bulgaria's achievements in changing the system of care from institutions to family are highly valued internationally. A very important result from the event is the willingness of professionals and organizations from different countries to support and partner with Bulgarian organizations, municipalities and state institutions in the process of deinstitutionalization and development of foster care," said Ivanka Shalapatova , director of "For Our Children" .

Part of the conference was IFCO Youth Program - a series of trainings for youth from 16 to 26 years from 9 countries of the European Union, Africa and Asia. The aim of the training was to improve the skills of young people to cope with life after leaving the institutions, foster care and other alternative care, to empower them to deliver the same knowledge and skills to other young people in the same situation. Youth program gave opportunities to young people to realize that they are not the only ones to meet other young people with similar experiences and emotions to gain useful experience to share ideas and exchange contacts and also to build a network among themselves.

Very strong messages were passed during one of the presentations on the first day of the conference - "Living with strangers," when a group of young people who grew up in foster care in the UK shared their thoughts and experiences while living in foster families.

Within 10 plenary sessions and 30 workshops during the conference there were discussed various topics related to the institutional system of care and the development of foster care in different countries - Bulgaria , Romania, Great Britain, Ireland , Azerbaijan , Turkey. In great interest was the presentation made by Professor Kevin Brown of the University of Nottingham for the abandonment of children and its prevention in Europe with results from a two-year study in 27 countries of the European Union , Jean-Claude Legros , an adviser to UNICEF Rights of the Child on " Reforming of the child care system in Eastern Europe and Asia Tsantralna . “Why we should focus on children under 3 years of age?”-  Valentina Simeonova, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy of Bulgaria’s progress on the issue of de-institutionalization in the country.

Some of the sessions were object of discussion of specific topics such as the study of autism, the experiences of young people living with a parent with mental illness, foster care for addicted mothers and their babies.

IFCO Conference is one of the most significant events in the world in the field of foster care. Host of this year's event was "For Our Children" and official partners - the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the State Agency for Child Protection, National Foster Care Agency , National Network for Children and Youth Network Power 4 Youth. Sofia conference was held in three languages ​​- English, Bulgarian and Russian.

Last year the forum of the International Foster Care Organisation was held in Canada, and the next 2013 conference will be held in Osaka, Japan.