elevators in other homes. The finding of the NPM is that it leads to violation of the rights of children to freedom of movement, as well as of art. 9 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and recommends building the appropriate infrastructure for children with disabilities. Management and administrative capacity In the NPM’s opinion, it can be reported as a positive fact that the homes’ staff receive regular training how to work with children with mental retardation. They are also supported by specialists such as psychologists, speech therapists, art therapist, and rehabilitator. As an example of good practice can be pointed out the home for children with mental retardation in Mezdra where there is a child psychiatrist on the staff. Only in the HCDPC in Tarnava there are no assigned a speech therapist, a psychologist and an art therapist. The NPM recommends that all homes for children with mental retardation to recruit a full-time speech therapist and a psychologist. For that purpose, the methodology for determining the positions of staff in specialized institutions and the community social services should be changed, and in the institutions for children with mental retardation professions such as a speech therapist and a psychologist, and an art therapist from recommendable should become mandatory. Medical Care During the inspections it has been found that health care performed by the professionals in these homes is on a good level. The children are regularly taken for re-certification to the Medical Expert Commission for work capability assessment and they have expert resolutions for disability with different percentage of mental retardation. Many of them are given medicines with protocols for the respective diseases. Also, the children placed in the homes for the mentally retarded children pass twice-yearly preventive examinations and check-ups. They are visited regularly by a psychiatrist, and if necessary, protocols for free allocation of medicines are drawn up. In case of emergency situations emergency units from the nearby hospitals are sent. Problems identified by the NPM are associated with refusal of treatment or mistreatment by outside medical specialists. As an example can be given the home for children with mental retardation in the village of Petrovo. During interviews with the staff of the home information have been obtained concerning a case involving consultation in the city of Sofia, where the attendants and the sick child who was in a wheelchair - with severe mental and physical disabilities, have waited more than 4 hours in the corridor in order to be admitted for reception. Another problem shared by the staff of various homes during the interviews conducted is that most children who come from homes for medical and social care are fed by „feeding-bottle”, as well as that for the children with conditions such as Cerebral Palsy rehabilitation courses are not conducted. During the inspections in the homes for medical and social care the NPM team has found no such irregularities. Exception of that is the home for medical and social care in the city of Vratsa, where medical care and training of the staff were rather low. On this occasion, the team of the NPM gave specific recommendations to the Ministry of Health to provide professional and methodological support to the HCDPC staff – Vratsa and an opportunity to improve thier qualifications. The NPM also recommended implementing support for children with disabilities in accordance with their 30 Annual Report of the National Preventive Mechanism | OMBUDSMAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA