4.8 out of 10
Legal capacity can be fully removed and people with intellectual disabilities can be denied the right to vote or stand for elections because of this.
Most adults with intellectual disabilities live in larger institutions, some of them live in smaller institutions.
Most adults with intellectual disabilities live with their family, few live on their own, and there is little support.
Most children with intellectual disabilities go to mainstream schools, some go to special schools.
Very few people with intellectual disabilities have a job on the open labour market. They do not risk to lose their disability benefits when they earn their own salary.
People with intellectual disabilities have access to general healthcare.
People with intellectual disabilities are represented within the national disability organisation. BAPID receives government funding for their advocacy work.
Bulgaria European average
People with intellectual disabilities live in institutions that separate them from society. In Bulgaria there are 28 institutions, 2,349 persons with intellectual disabilities live there.
| Mainstream education | 25,000 |
|---|---|
| Special education | * |
| No education | * |
| Larger institutions | 1,748 |
| Smaller institutions | 1,249 |
| Small care homes | * |
| Psychiatric hospitals | * |
* Education figures: No data available. Institution figures: No data available.
These are the reported or estimated numbers of the country. In most cases, in reality, the numbers will be higher as the data is underreported or missing entirely.
4.6 out of 10
Legal capacity can be fully removed and people with intellectual disabilities can be denied the right to vote or stand for elections. No easy-to-read information provided by the government; voting is not accessible.
Most adults with intellectual disabilities live in larger institutions, some of them live in small care homes. There is a plan to close institutions.
Most adults with intellectual disabilities live with their family, few live on their own, and there is little support. Families receive little support. After parents can no longer provide support, their child will likely move into an institution.
Most children with intellectual disabilities go to mainstream schools, some go to special schools.
Very few people with intellectual disabilities have a job on the open labour market. They do not risk losing their disability benefits when they earn their own salary.
People with intellectual disabilities have access to general healthcare. There is no easy-to-read information about healthcare provided by the government. Forced sterilisation is still performed.
People with intellectual disabilities are represented within the national disability organisation, there is no person with an intellectual disability on the board/council. BAPID receives government funding for advocacy work.
Bulgaria European average
Institutional culture still exists in Bulgaria, and we cannot see any change. […] The only answer we received from institutions and authorities was that it [torture and ill-treatment] was not their problem. Our fight should be for zero institutions, which means zero small homes and zero institutions. I know it is a long-term fight, but we must move on with our work in that direction.
| Mainstream education | 25,000 |
|---|---|
| Special education | * |
| No education | * |
| Larger institutions | 1,748 |
| Smaller institutions | 1,249 |
| Small care homes | * |
| Psychiatric hospitals | * |
Bulgaria’s scores are based on 2023 data, as there was no reported change in the country.
These are the reported or estimated numbers of the country. In most cases, in reality, the numbers will be higher as the data is underreported or missing entirely.
4.5 out of 10
Legal capacity can be fully removed and people with intellectual disabilities can be denied the right to vote and stand for elections. Voting is not made accessible.
Many adults with intellectual disabilities live in large institutions. Some live in smaller institutions.
Almost all adults with intellectual disabilities live with their family. Very few live in their own place. Families receive little support. After parents can no longer provide support, other family members provide support for the person with an intellectual disability. There is a mechanism to assess quality of services.
Almost all children with intellectual disabilities go to special schools. Very few go to mainstream schools. There is a national strategy towards inclusive education.
Very few people with intellectual disabilities have a job on the open labour market. Most attend daycare or stay at home. People do not risk losing their disability benefits when they earn their own salary.
People with intellectual disabilities have access to healthcare, but there is no easy-to-read information about healthcare. Sex education is poor, and there is limited freedom of choice in reproductive health. People cannot be forcibly sterilised.
People with intellectual disabilities are represented within the national cross-disability organisation, but there is no person with an intellectual disability on the board/council. BAPID receives government funding for advocacy work.
Bulgaria European average
Although ‘deinstitutionalised’ people with disabilities are moved out of big institutions, they are still forced to cohabit with other residents and have no choice about where or with whom to live. Their ‘home’ is organised and managed by hired personnel using detailed internal regulations, and their life is guided by strict daily routines.
Despite the fact that most of the institutions for people with disabilities have received funding from the European Union for creating small group homes, reconstructing and refurbishing old institutions, etc., European Union money has been used for disability-based discrimination and segregation.
| Mainstream education | 25,000 |
|---|---|
| Special education | * |
| No education | * |
| Larger institutions | 4,500 |
| Smaller institutions | 4,500 |
| Small care homes | 4,500 |
| Psychiatric hospitals | 4,500 |
These are the reported or estimated numbers of the country. In most cases, in reality, the numbers will be higher as the data is underreported or missing entirely.