Conference 'Bulgaria Grows with Its Children: Building Professional Competences of the Early Years Workforce in Healthcare, Education, and Social Services in Bulgaria'

On 25-26 February, 2021 For Our Children Foundation hosts an online international forum dedicated to the early years professionals in education, healthcare and social protection in Bulgaria. The Conference is part of the project Bulgaria Grows with Its Children supported by Active Citizens Fund Bulgaria under the financial mechanism of the European Economic Area. The main goal of the project is to contribute to policy development and reforms in the sphere of early childhood development in Bulgaria. 

Conference Goals:
- To raise public awareness about the importance of the professional development of the early years workforce as a key factor for the quality of education and services for young children.
- To outline the directions for governmental policies that support the development of a competent and motivated early years workforce in education, healthcare and social protection in the light of modern scientific research and good practice.
- To generate and promote stakeholders’ dialogue on practical steps for building workforce competences, including competences for cross-sectoral collaboration.

The starting point for the Conference discussions is the data and conclusions from the study conducted by For Our Children Foundation focusing on the initial education, continuous professional development and working conditions of the early years workforce. (Bulgaria Grows with Its Children, report summary)

Main topics:
- The role of early years professionals for the realization of the rights of the child. 
- Scientific data about the factors related to the workforce which bear significance for the quality of education and care in early childhood and examples of effective policies.
- New approaches in academic and work-based education for the professionalization of the early years workforce.

You can find more information about the conference here.

Find the detailed information about the speakers here.

You can register for the conference here. 

The project Bulgaria Grows with Its Children is implemented with financial support from Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway through the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area. The main goal of the project is to enhance the quality of the early childhood development programs and services in Bulgaria.