Sofia nursery shortage: 156 missing nurses block new childcare groups

A shortage of 156 healthcare professionals is currently hindering the opening of new nursery groups and affecting the operations of 78 existing groups in Sofia's municipal childcare facilities. Out of a required 520 nurses, only 364 are currently employed, with more than half of those being of retirement age.

In response, Deputy Mayors Desislava Zhelyazkova and Nadezhda Bacheva are proposing legislative changes to reorganize childcare services. The municipality seeks to shift the requirement for medical care from a per-group basis to a facility-wide level, allowing medical experts to serve the entire center rather than being assigned to every individual nursery group.

The proposal has received support from the Bulgarian Medical Union, the Bulgarian Pediatric Association, and the Sofia Medical College, among over 200 kindergarten directors. Officials emphasized that the goal is to ensure child safety and development through better organization rather than closing facilities or reducing services.