67,000 Children in State Care in Romania

in

In 2012, we have more than 67,000 children in state care. Over 9,000 are in institutions, 18,000 in residential, family-based care, 19,000 in foster care, and 21,000 in simple family placements.

In the last 7 - 8 years, the childcare system entries are equal to the exits. Which means that, as youngsters leave care, little ones come in. That is due to the lack of programmes to prevent child separation from families. The admissions of children in care (that is, tearing them apart from their families, from their parents) will only stop when parents are encouraged to stay with their children. In most situations, the causes of separation are related to poverty, and the lack of support for vulnerable families.

When we have a methodology and tools to be used nationally in preventing child separation from families, then the number of children in state care will drop, and the number of those in families will increase. Then, we will be able to state that the childcare system is really designed in the child"s best interest.

The Children Who Turn into Adults

in

Childcare includes family-type, residential services for children with special needs. They turn into adults, and, in many situations, end up in the dangerous situation of being yet again transferred, into an institution for adults with disabilities, or into a shelter for the elderly.  This is a tough resolution: at the age of 18 - 20, locked into a home for the elderly, because you are disabled. From this point onwards, more bad consequences: the change of the environment leads to new trauma, or to the stirring of older traumas. Breaking the routine, which is already accepted and taken for granted in the family-type placement, results in the regress of attitudes specific to a family environment, or even to shock with negative effects, or crises. The solution is the "house for life" concept, where youngsters with special needs can stay also when they turn into adults. However, they benefit from state support, so it is simply about having the money follow the people, instead of having the people follow the money. I witnessed horrible situations, such as the transfer of two blind girls, from a family type home specially arranged for blind people, into an institution for the elderly, lacking any form of facility for blind people.  A week later, the girls were bruised up, and shocked from the trauma of having to survive in an environment which was totally unsuitable for their basic needs.

Disabled children who turn into adults should stay in their family environment (if they benefit from such an environment), living among the friends and people they are already used to.These are the only family they have.

How Much Paperwork and How Much Real Interaction with Children

in

If you browse the written reports in the childcare services, you would think there is a lot of activity with children. But if you want to grasp real activities involving children, you are in trouble: there are very few outdoors activities, or simple things, such as going to the dentist, or going for a haircut. We are good in papers, all standards are on course. In fact, children are stuck in front of TV sets, spending very little time out in the fresh air, and actually excluded from sports and socialization activities. Everyday experiences, such as buying clothing, or shoes - are extremely rare to find. There is a huge abyss separating the texts of reports and the everyday reality.

Papers and documents have their role, of course. Our problem is that, in our system, bureaucracy is far more important than children"s everyday life.

140 Paintings at the Children"s Arts Camp

in

More than 40 children, as well as 35 painters from Maramures, Bacau, Bucharest and Arges counties came together for the Children"s Arts Camp in Hoteni. The event reached its eighth edition. The eighth year of organizing this camp, by Priest Ioan Ardelean and his wife, Luminita. Porsche Romania supports this event for the second year, and we thank them for it.

The children had a great week, with singing, painting, walking. The village is perfect for an arts camp. With its wooden church from the XVII-th century, with its wild nature, you feel like going back in time into another world. The vegetables come from the garden, the milk from the cow, the eggs - straight from the poultry in the back yard garden.

The image of an artist, next to a child, in front of the canvas and the colours - stays with me for a long time from now on.