In mid-September 2018, the FIRST project - Finding, Investigating, Redress and Support co-financed under the Rights, Equality and Citizenship Program began.

The project aims to increase the reporting of cases of violence and / or sexual abuse of children, as well as to improve the quality of follow-up support to victims. It will last 2 years.

As part of the project, a web-based platform will be created that provides an opportunity to report in the event of a threat of violence or to register an attack that has already taken place. It will also provide detailed, age-appropriate information on different types of violence.

A network of specialists will be established who are directly involved in the work with child victims of violence and provide their support.
Efforts will also be focused on prevention and support. Interactive trainings for children and young people aged between 4 and 17 are planned.

Work will also be done on upgrading the capacity to deal with cases of child abuse. For this purpose, trainings and exchange of experience between specialists in the field are planned. The sharing of expertise and good practice will be encouraged.

As part of the project, the raising of public awareness regarding violence against children is also planned. This will be achieved through social campaigns, media publications, information sharing activities, and face-to-face meetings.

The project brings together in partnership four non-governmental organizations with extensive experience in the field of human rights and the rights of the child, as well as two companies.

In this composition, the partner network covers a significant part of the national territory - the capital (Right of Childhood Foundation), three of the largest regions in Bulgaria: Plovdiv (Gender Alternatives Foundation), Varna (Youth Initiative for Sustainable Development Association), and Ruse (“Right to Childhood” Foundation), the region of Sliven (“Right to Childhood” Foundation), Pernik and Kardzhali (PULSE Foundation).

Within the FIRST project PULSE Foundation will expand the range of activities and provide mobile consultations in the city of Kardzhali.

Good practices, statistics and training materials will continue to be shared and used after the official completion of the project. The networks of specialists will also continue to function in order to provide timely support to children victims of violence and / or sexual violence.

Project web page: https://www.kidsprotect.eu/index.php