Romania

Programme contact

Claire Milligan
Head of International Child Protection
+44 203 116 0700
clairemilligan
@arkonline.org 

 

Moving Children out of harmful institutions and back into families

2,205 children moved from harmful large institutions to families or small group homes 
 7,229 children prevented from being abandoned into the state care system

Our vision is to support the Romanian government in the wholesale reform of the national childcare system and the closure of all remaining large children's institutions by 2020.

We have been working in partnership with Hope and Homes for Children in Romania for nearly a decade, taking a holistic, long-term approach towards changing the way the state cares for children nationwide.

From the start we have focused on shutting down large institutions and re-settling children in  family-style environments. Wherever possible, children go back to live with their parents or relatives, or with foster or adoption families. When these options are not available, we seek to place children in small group homes which Hope and Homes for Children were among the first to develop in Romania.

In recent years we have also tackled wider aspects of the national childcare system. We are training and supporting local authorities so they can take the lead in changing the way children are looked after. We also focus on prevention services to support families whose children are at risk of being abandoned.

Watch ARK's Founding Chairman Arpad Busson, speak about the programme   

 

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