Baby boxes in the Czech Republic

The Foundation For Abandoned Children Statim and its sister Civic Association For Abandoned Children – Statim want to help children, parents and mothers who appear in a complex life situation and as a result are not able to look after their newly born babies...
The word STATIM is used in medical profession and means “at once”, “immediately”. And that is how we wish to help.
BABYBOX – STATIM operates a project of opening special cases – so called babyboxes –, in which mothers or parents can leave their newly born babies anonymously. The abandoned baby gets an immediate medical attention and social care.
The first babybox has been installed since June 1, 2005, at the private medical centre GynCentrum in Prague 9, in Hloubetinska str. 3. The building is known as Hloubetin Little Chateau and is located near the underground station Hloubetin.
The second babybox has been running since November 3, 2005, at the City Hospital “Milosrdnych Bratri” (“Brethrens of Charity” in Czech) in Polni str. 3 in Brno. The third one opened on December 5 2006 at the College Hospital in Olomouc and the fourth on June 1, 2007 in the Hospital in Kadan; the fifth on December 6 2007 at the Tomas Bata’s Hospital in Zlin; the sixth on December 21 2007 in the Hospital in Pelhrimov etc., etc. BABYBOX – STATIM originally intended to install twenty such cases in the Czech Republic. So far, the charity has opened babyboxes in 50 hospitals in the country and saved 74 babies, with the view that one day there will be a babybox in each district – 70 in total. And why so many? The issue is accessibility and sensitivity for mothers in difficult social and personal circumstances. The more babyboxes there are, the better chance there is to save a life of a newly born baby.
The other tool of aid for parents is a special help line.
The programme of the BABYBOX – STATIM organisation is clear and distinct: its only wish is never to find a little dead body of a newly born baby again.
The original idea was brought up by the entrepreneur and poet Ludvik Hess who remains brains, heart and soul behind the whole project.