EU child reform in Romania bears fruit

91 old type institutions were closed and 581 family type homes were opened in the 5 years since Romania began implementing the "Children First" Phare programme financed by the European Union. Over 15,000 children from 37 counties and 4 Bucharest sectors have benefited from services created by this EU programme.

The projects financed under the "Children First" programme, which has now come to an end, were carried out country wide by the General Directorates for Social Assistance and Child Protection (DGASPC) with the assistance ofthe National Authority for the Protection of Children's Rights.

The "Children First" programme, worth 37 million Euro, led to: the closure of 91 old-style child protection institutions; the opening of 581 apartments and family-type homes, 51 day care centres, 34 recuperation centres for disabled children, and 14 mother-and-baby centres; the recruitment of over 2000 foster parents, as well as the development of other support and counselling services for parents.

The total size of the Phare programme was 31 million Euro, of which the Government of Romania contributed 2.5 million Euro and the beneficiary county councils 3.5 million Euro.

Mr. Jonathan Scheele, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission, stated: "A nation's health is also measured by the care it shows for its children. Romania, with EU support, has over recent years carried out an indepth reform of child protection, based on a policy that aims to support families and through European-standard legislation in the area of child protection that addresses not only institutionalised children, but all children in Romania. I sincerely hope that other countries in the region will follow your country's example in this sector".

Mr. Bogdan Panait, Secretary of State of ANPDC, added: "A few years ago one would immediately recognise an institutionalised child, no matter where you met him or her. The fact that today these children are informed and involved in decisions that affect them, the mere fact that when they come back from school they open the door of their home has decisively influenced their behaviour, their self belief and, why not, their self esteem".

The conferece that will begin tomorrow, 14 September, in Sinaia will present the results of the "Children First" programme and will enable an exchange of best practices between the General Directorates aimed at improving the quality of services in the social assitance and child protection area.

Contact persons:

Mariela Neagu, Delegation of the European Commission, Tel: 021 203 5418

Nicoleta Preda, National Authority for the Protection of Children's Rights, Tel: 315 36 33