European Foundation
for the Improvement of
Living and Working Conditions

The tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist
in the development of better social, employment and
work-related policies

EU PolicyWatch

Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure BG-2021-51/2155 Updated – measures in Bulgaria

Helpline for teachers and students

Горещи телефонни линии за учители и ученици

Country Bulgaria , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 14 December 2021 – 31 March 2022
Context COVID-19
Type Other initiatives or policies
Category Measures to prevent social hardship
– Access to healthcare
Author Tsetomila Sabcheva and Luboslav Kostov (Citub)
Measure added 12 January 2022 (updated 01 March 2023)

Background information

The organization for providing psychological support was established together with the regional departments of education, the regional centers for support of the process of inclusive education and school principals.

The telephone line is planned to be open until 31 March 2022. The hotline is not a single number but several ones which are maintained by specialist out of six districts: Burgas, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Plovdiv, Sofia (capital city), Stara Zagora.

Content of measure

More than 40 school psychologists are volunteering to help students, parents, teachers and non-pedagogy staff stressed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Support is provided via toll-free telephone lines in six regional centers in the country. The aim is to respond to existing worries and demotivation when learning online. Specialists will provide help to everybody who is reporting depression due to long isolation. The hotline will also support people's struggles to adapt to school environment after a long home stay and being in distance learning education process. Specialists can also provide psychological support to overcome the fear of the virus or the loss of loved ones.

Updates

The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.

21 February 2023

The Ministry of Education and Science's psychological helplines are reopened. The hotlines will provide support and advice to children, students, parents, educational professionals and non-teaching staff related to pandemic situations in the education system. See .

Use of measure

The Ministry of Education and Science is opening for a third time the toll-free hotlines for children in need and those working in the education system. In addition to the volunteering school psychologists, specialists from the National Mobile Group for Psychological Support at the Ministry of Education and Science will be also responding to the calls.

The lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm. They are open to all students, parents, pedagogical and non-pedagogical professionals from all over the country. It is recommended to call the hotline number allocated in the nearest settlement. Thus, at the discretion of psychologists, they can refer people in need to community support services.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Does not apply to businesses Children (minors)
Parents

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
Other

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role No involvement No involvement
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

No social partners' involvement is encountered at the time of releasing the hotline.

Views and reactions

No social partners' views are encountered at the time of releasing the hotline.

Sectors and occupations

    • Economic area Sector (NACE level 2)
      P - Education P85 Education
    • Occupation (ISCO level 2)
      Teaching professionals

Sources

  • 14 December 2021: Ученици и учители получават психологическа подкрепа по телефона в условията на пандемия (coronavirus.bg)

Citation

Eurofound (2022), Helpline for teachers and students, measure BG-2021-51/2155 (measures in Bulgaria), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/BG-2021-51_2155.html

Share

Eurofound publications based on EU PolicyWatch

30 January 2023

 

Measures to lessen the impact of the inflation and energy crisis on citizens

Governments across the EU continue to implement policies to support citizens and businesses in the face of rising food and energy prices caused by the COVID-19 crisis and intensified by the war in Ukraine. This article summarises the policy responses as reported in Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch database from January to September 2022.

Article

12 September 2022

 

First responses to cushion the impact of inflation on citizens

Although the worldwide pandemic situation had already disrupted supply chains and triggered increases in energy and food prices in 2021, the situation deteriorated in 2022 with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Article

12 September 2022

 

Policies to support EU companies affected by the war in Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses that governments across the EU have started to implement to support companies affected by the rising prices, and those with commercial ties to Ukraine, Russia or Belarus.

Article

5 July 2022

 

Policies to support refugees from Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses of EU Member States, including those of the social partners and other civil society actors, enabling refugees to exercise their rights under the Temporary Protection Directive.

Article

Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.