ІІ. PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW Since 2012, the Ombudsman acting as the NPM has monitored the state and observance of the rights of children placed in social and pedagogical boarding houses and correctional boarding schools in the Republic of Bulgaria. In 2015, the institution released a special report after inspections of the existing six boarding houses in the country in which the Ombudsman insisted that the necessary steps should be taken to close the correctional boarding schools and social and pedagogical boarding houses due to the degrading living conditions. Critical findings The reform of juvenile justice in Bulgaria continues to be in its nascent stage. There are yet no adequate correctional and educational services in line with the leading standards of protection of the rights and interests of the child. Main recommendations: Adopt a new strategy for a government policy in the area of juvenile justice for 20212030; Reform the system of juvenile justice and assess the need for specialised judicial juvenile panels; Repeal the Combating the AntiSocial Behaviour of Minor and Underage Persons Act in effect since 1958 and adopt a Criminal Justice Diversion and Imposition of Correctional Measures on Minor Persons Act; Despite the emergency epidemic situation, in 2020 teams of the Ombudsman carried out two inspections at correctional boarding schools and found that a large part of the recommendations made in 2015 to the Ministry of Education had been implemented. Three boarding houses were closed down. The number of children placed in the remaining three was reduced from 218 to 100. Psychologists, model teachers and medical staff were hired. The facilities were improved. The relationships between the children and the teachers were good. Still, the placement of children at correctional institutions continues to pose problems – the NPM has found a girl placed in a correctional boarding school even though there is a judgment for placement at a social and pedagogical boarding house. In this regard, there is a finding of systemic disregard of inspections and control on the part of the State Agency for Child Protection – the latest inspection was carried out in 2016. The correctional boarding schools and social and pedagogical boarding houses should have been closed down a long time ago due to the fact that they fail to meet the international standards of 11