News

15 June 2026

Ombudswoman Velislava Delcheva served as patron of the seventh annual “Saved Childhood” Awards edition, organised by the National Foster Care Association. In her welcome address to the ceremony’s participants, she has highlighted that foster care changes lives and offers children deprived of parental care a chance for a better future.

“Today, for the seventh time, we are celebrating the highest form of humanity—the power to change a child's destiny, ” said the Ombudsman.

She expressed her gratitude to the National Foster Care Association for its consistent efforts to support foster families and children at risk.

“You don’t just organise these awards. You are the voice and the backbone of the people who dedicate their lives to foster care. Your tireless work, expertise, and dedication have transformed foster care from a noble cause into a functioning, life-saving mission for thousands of children,” said Delcheva.

She highlighted the progress made in foster care over the past sixteen years and paid tribute to the foster families who help children find security, support, and love every day.

“Over the years, dozens of foster families and children have shaped the history of foster care in Bulgaria, and each of these stories deserves our attention. Change for a child begins with a single encounter, with a single foster family, with a single person who has decided to open the door to their home—and, through that, their heart,” emphasised the Ombudsman.

In her speech, Velislava Delcheva addressed foster parents specifically: “You—the foster parents—are true heroes, especially in the eyes of your foster children, with whom you often form lifelong bonds. Opening your home to a child at risk takes courage. Healing childhood trauma with patience and love is a calling. You are not merely providing shelter. You are restoring faith in goodness and building Bulgaria’s future.”

The Ombudsman assured those present that the Institution will continue to protect children’s rights and support foster care in the country.

“As the national Ombudsman, my primary mission is to protect the rights of the most vulnerable—our children. I assure you that in the Institution I manage, the National Foster Care Association, every foster family will always have a strong partner, a loyal advocate, and a reliable ally,” Delcheva stated.

In conclusion, she called for continued joint efforts to support foster parents and children.

Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva honoured foster mother Marina Kumanova, who for 20 years has opened her home to more than 10 children, providing them with love, support, and the chance for a dignified life.