Raising the placement age in residential centers from 3 to 7 years old

As of now, 57,000 children in Romania are part of the special protection system, 19,000 of them are in placement centers, commonly known as “orphanages”. Annually, 9,000 children enter the system. Many families resort to this measure, temporarily or not, because of increased poverty. The conditions within these institutions are very clear. Beyond overcrowding, lack of qualified staff and services not tailored to individual needs, children in these centers are exposed to the risk of physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect. Introducing children in residential centers has irreversible effects on their behavior and development, having consequences on their psycho-social and cognitive skills.

With all this in mind, Romania has committed to gradually deinstitutionalize all these children, and to close the placement centers by 2020. This objective is also found in the National Strategy for the protection and promotion of the rights of the child 2014-2020. However, despite the steps taken so far, our country continues to rank among the countries with the highest rates of children in residential centers in Europe. I want every child to grow up and grow harmoniously within a family, to have a greater chance of adoption. Along with 64 colleagues in Parliament, I have proposed increasing the age at which children are sent to residential services, from 3 to 7 years. The exception will be those who require specialized care.

Our colleagues from the Senate have supported this legislative initiative, voting unanimously, and I thank them all. I look forward to the support it will receive here in the Chamber of Deputies. I count on your support, dear colleagues, to join me in order to give every child a real chance at having a family. Therefore, please vote on the proposed legislative amendment.

Political statement dated September 12, 2018.