Another positive trend is the fact that the multidisciplinary teams at the new medico-social service facilities have undergone training on working with children under the age of three and with children with disabilities. In order to adequately meet all children’s needs, the new facilities are staffed by professional practitioners such as a psychologist, a speech therapist, caregivers, and physical therapists. The closure of the HMSCCs gave rise to a problem associated with the funding of the new services. On 3 November 2015, the Ombudsman institution, in its capacity as a designated NPM, received a letter of concern from the eight municipalities, which had been implementing pilot projects related to the restructuring of homes for medical and social child care for children aged 0 to 3. The deadline for the completion of the said pilot projects was November 30, 2015, whereafter, effective December 1, 2015, the provision of the new social services would become a state-delegated activity. The problem brought to the Ombudsman’s attention related to the sustainability of the new integrated medico-social services. The municipalities had complied with the notification procedure pursuant to the Rules for the Implementation of the Social Assistance Act and had notified the Heads of the respective Regional Social Assistance Directorates of the need to draft proposals to the CEO of the Social Assistance Agency to issue an order for the launch of the respective new services effective December 1, 2015. At the time of writing their letter to the Ombudsman the municipalities had not received any information as to whether the funds needed to continue the delivery of the new social services were available for the remainder of 2015 and/or whether financial resources had already been earmarked for 2016. This posed a risk for the health and development of all children beneficiaries of the services at issue. The Ombudsman paid a personal visit to the Medico-Social Services Complex in the municipality of Targovishte and talked both to the Complex manager and to the Mayor of the municipality, which is the social service provider. The Ombudsman shared their concerns over the health of the nine children with disabilities accommodated at the Family-Type Placement Centre (FTPC) included in the Complex. In such a context, the Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria, acting as designated National Preventive Mechanism, released an official statement pointing out that the display of such attitude towards children with disabilities by government institutions was extremely disturbing. It was pointed out also that the lack of funding for the operations of the Medico-Social Services Complex jeopardised the health and the lives of the children placed at the FTPC. Referring to Article 20, para 1, item 2 of the Ombudsman Act, the Ombudsman called upon the Minister of Labour and Social Policy and the Minister of Health to take urgent action to provide the funds required to ensure the sustainability of the medico-social services launched under the pilot projects. In response to the NPM’s recommendation, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy has pledged to provide financing for the services at issue. 74