Studying the welfare of children at an early age in the system of institutional care

This article discusses the need to develop a unified vision and strategy for enhancing the welfare of children at an early age in the institutional care system in Bulgaria. The methodological basis for the research is the “Quality Framework for Early Childhood Services” (QFECS) of the International Association Step-by-Step (ISSA). A diagnostic tool was developed that explores the guiding principles of good practices in nine different priority areas in three distinct groups in Bulgaria. It analyzes the state of early care and identifies the resources that ensure the quality of services during early childhood.