"PROBLEMS IN ROMANIA OBSERVED BY MENTAL DISABILITY RIGHTS INTERNATIONAL WHICH EXIST IRRESPECTIVE OF ANY SPECIFIC INSTITUTION." Part II

Numbers 20 through 55 come from pages 1 through 16 of the report.

20. As of 2006, the Romanian National Authority on Child Protection statistics state that there remain more than 31,000 children in institutions under their authority. [There are children under state care in other institutions which do not fall directly under the Romanian National Authority for Child Protection. - A] In addition, over 9000 babies are abandoned each year - a rate of abandonment that has not changed over thirty years. At least 700 abandoned children have never left the maternity wards of hospitals. Most maternity wards do not allow new mothers to stay with their infants while they are in the hospital. P.1. LEGAL PROBLEMS; ALSO IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES.

21. UNICEF concludes from a recent study of child abandonment that the acceptance and perpetuation of such situations constitutes a violation of the law. P.1. VIOLATION OF ROMANIAN LAW; VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.

22. UNICEF concludes from a recent study of child abandonment in Romania that the acceptance and perpetuation of such situations constitutes an acute lack of understanding of the child's developmental needs. P.1. IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES.

23. Once a child is abandoned, government action further increases the likelihood that the child will be institutionalized. P.1. IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES; LEGAL PROBLEMS; BUREAUCRACY.

24. According to UNICEF, two-thirds of the children abandoned in maternity wards are transferred at least once to pediatric/recovery wards before any protection measures are taken. P.1. VIOLATION OF ROMANIAN LAW; VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW; IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES.

25. UNICEF notes that of the total number of abandoned babies, 64% in maternity wards and 30% in pediatric hospitals have no name or identity papers. Without identity papers, children cannot receive community services or even receive basic medical care. P.1. VIOLATION OF ROMANIAN LAW; VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW; BUREAUCRACY.

26. The actual number of institutionalized children may be much higher than officially recognized. P.1. LYING, DENIAL, INTEGRITY PROBLEMS, FOX GUARDING THE CHICKEN HOUSE, ETC.

27. A complex division of responsibilities means that no one authority makes policies or can be held accountable for conditions in the institutions. p.1. LEGAL PROBLEMS; BUREAUCRACY.

28. The array of services described by authorities does not always exist in practice. P.1. THEORY NOT PRACTICE.

29. There is no system in place for holding anyone accountable for the implementation of standards within this system. P.2. LEGAL PROBLEMS; BUREAUCRACY.

30. Out of public view, MDRI found serious human rights violations in the institutions. Our findings are corroborated in reports published by the Center for Legal Resources and by Amnesty International. P.2. LYING, DENIAL, INTEGRITY PROBLEMS.

31. MDRI is particularly concerned about the abandoned infants and young children who are at an extremely vulnerable time of development and will bear scars from this treatment over a lifetime. P.2. IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES.

32. Thousands of children face the prospect of a life-time segregated from society in abusive facilities. P.2. IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES; VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.

33. Many of the stated reforms in Romania - for which the EU has given much credit - do not protect the basic human rights of children with disabilities. P.2. IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES; VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.

34. The EU stated that the new legislation completes the reforms of child protection. P.2. THEORY NOT PRACTICE. LEGISLATION WHICH IS NOT PRACTICED OR ENFORCED BRINGS ABSOLUTELY NO REFORMS WHATSOEVER.

35. This report by MDRI disputes the EU conclusions as a matter of law and practice. P.2. LEGAL PROBLEMS; THEORY NOT PRACTICE.

36. According to UNICEF, hundreds of new institutions for up to 50 children have been build. In a three and a half year period, the number of new institutions increased from 123 in December 2000 to 220 in June 2003. MDRI's findings indicate that these institutions are still dangerous places, leaving children abandoned and leaving children segregated from society. p.2. [ANYONE CAN GO TO COPII.RO AND LOOK UP THE STATISTICS]. IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES.

37. Romanian law says that the placement of the child who has not yet reached the age of 2 years may only be decided with the permission of the extended or substitute family, and it is forbidden to place him or her in a residential service. (Article 60, paragraph 1). P.3. THEORY NOT PRACTICE. ALSO HOSPITALS ARE NOT CONSIDERED INSTITUTIONS OR RESIDENTIAL SERVICES UNDER THE CURRENT LEGISLATION. THUS CHILDREN CAN REMAIN "UNINSTITUTIONALIZED" IN HOSPITALS.

38. MDRI investigators found a disparate pattern of children and babies being incorrectly labeled with "severe disabilities". The phrase apparently can be used whenever it is administratively convenient, and it is often applied to children with little or no disability. P.3. IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES; LEGAL PROBLEMS; INTEGRITY PROBLEMS.

39. Staff told investigators that the institution housed 62 (59) children from newborn to age two. The youngest was a three-week old infant. Despite being referred to as the nutritional recuperation center, staff informed us that most infants which are ABANDONED in this facility were not placed there for nutritional reasons. P.3. LYING, DENIAL, INTEGRITY PROBLEMS; THEORY NOT PRACTICE.

40. [Despite claims to the contrary] MDRI learned that most of the babies were permanently abandoned and had resided there since birth. According to the nurses, reasons for abandonment included abuse, brain injury, heart disease, poverty and premature birth. None of the children, a nurse reported, had a "sever disability", other than the disabilities they acquired from being institutionalized. P. 3. IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES; BUREAUCRACY; LYING, DENIAL, INTEGRITY PROBLEMS.

41. Staff said, "Some children are here because their parents do not have enough heating fuel. When it gets cold, we have more babies." P.3. IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES; THEORY NOT PRACTICE.

42. Placement in an instution [including hospitals - POH] is dangerous at any age and the risks are particularly great for infants. P.5. IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES.

43. Recent experience reinforces how dangerous orphanage care for infants continues to be even in countries with extensive resources [unlike Romania which has limited resources - A]. P.5. IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES.

44. Care France noted that children are often separated from the maternal assistants at the age of two years and moved to orphanages to create a place for another baby. P.5. IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES.

45. Romanian leaders are aware of the senselessness of the situation in Romania but none of them dare publicly express their opinion for fear of reprisals from Brussels, which would threaten the process of Romania's accession to the European Union. [This is how the Romanians view things - A] p. 5. THREATS, SPITE, KILL THE WITNESS.

46. The law is intended to ensure that infants are placed in foster care. P.6. THEORY NOT PRACTICE. [WHY NOT ADOPTION WHEREVER THAT MAY BE?! - A]

47. Sometimes babies, and especially those with handicaps, are in residential services due to the lack of maternal assistants. P.7. VIOLATION OF ROMANIAN LAW; VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW; IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES. [THIS MIGHT NOT BE SUCH A HUGE PROBLEM IF INTERNATIONAL ADOPTIONS WERE OPEN! -- A]

48. We interviewed staff who were completely unaware of any of the common behavioral treatments for self-abuse. They did not know that stimulus, attention or activity would help alleviate the self-abuse. P.8. Staff were also unaware of the activities and behavior programs recommended by UNICEF that could help combat problems of self-abuse. p.14. IGNORANCE OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES.

49. Karen Green McGowan's recommendations for each child had not even been translated into Romanian. P.9. INTEGRITY PROBLEMS [ACTION TAKEN ONLY AFTER MUCH EMBARRASSMENT]; CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS; THEORY NOT PRACTICE.

50. UNICEF reported that "it is the informal policy of the Romanian government NOT (emphasis in original) to count the number of children with disabilities in institutions. p.9. INTEGRITY PROBLEMS, LYING, DENIAL, ETC.

51. There are many dangers inherent in the "reform" in Romania's child protection system that shifts children with disabilities from large to smaller institutions. Physical conditions may be improved, but children are denied the essential qualities of close psychological attachment and social integration that they need for their full and safe development. P.13. IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES; LEGAL PROBLEMS; BUREAUCRACY.

52. Children with severe disabilities are not placed in foster care. In the last year some foster care programs have been set up but these are only for children with minor disabilities. P.15. LEGAL PROBLEMS; BUREAUCRACY; IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES.

53. No maternal assistant has ever applied to take care of kids with sever disabilities. No maternal assistants will ever apply to take such kids. P.15. LEGAL PROBLEMS; BUREAUCRACY; IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS; THEORY NOT PRACTICE.

54. Terminology and labels are used inconsistently and are used for the administrative convenience of staff. P.15. INTEGRITY PROBLEMS; IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES.

55. The IQ diagnoses are incorrect and demonstrate a lack of knowledge of diagnostic categories. P.16. IGNORANCE OR IGNORING OF CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES.