The aim of the project is to prevent child abandonment by providing services for single mothers. As a result of the project, a house for temporary accommodation was set up, whose capacity allows to support 7 single mothers and their babies, preparing them for an independent life.Part of the centre activities will be directed to the support of pregnant women who are at risk to abandon their children. Within the framework of the project a network for rendering support was created, the capacity of the asylum's staff for direct working with the target group was developed as well as the system of mutual assistance between the direct participants in the project.
Partners in the project's implementation are the Regional Institute of Social Work- Loraine- France and Gabrovo Municipality.
The centre for family support "Help for Self-help" is the first one in the country, which offers shelter to young mothers and their babies. The project includes the following main activities:

• Study of the experience of France in the field of child and family protection and acquaintance with concrete practices;
• Development of methodology of work at the centre together with the French partner;
• Selection and formation of a multidisciplinary team for work at the future centre;
• Development and implementation of a training program of four modules by the members of the multidisciplinary team in cooperation with the French partner;
• Building up and furnishing a Centre for Family Support together with Gabrovo Municipality, Social Assistance Directorate, Child Protection Department, and donors.

The centre for family support "Help for Self-help" assumes as its mission the prevention of child nursing in institutions. We consider that children should be brought up by relatives who love them and take good care of them.
The purpose of our Centre is to render support and assistance to families in a state of crisis- young mothers who are compelled to leave their babies in an institution, because they have no opportunity to bring them up by themselves; single parents who need help for the bringing up of their children; families facing difficulties with the bringing up and education of their children. Although the main target group are single mothers, we consider that the name Centre for Family Support is suitable, because, on the one hand, a mother and her baby are already a family and, on the other hand, we want to avoid stigmatization of clients.
The Centre has a capacity for sheltering 7-8 mothers and their babies. The other services are offered to all who need them.
The project is funded by Phare ACCESS program and was of a 10-month duration.
With its completion there were published a folder and a manual for persons working with parents "How to help?" With its completion a manual was issued to help the persons working with offenders- "Specialized group programs"