Private Agencies Collaborating Together, PACT : 'children of Romania' project -- ANE-0001-A-00-0055-00 : executive summary and summary of findings, conclusions, and recommendations

Evaluation covers the period 10/90-10/92. The project was implemented by Holt International Children's services under a subgrant from PACT. Placement efforts under the project have included family reunification, adoption, and foster care. Holt has exceeded its reunification objective with more than 2,800 families counseled and 395 children reunited with their birth families. As for adoption, Holt has placed 117 children with Romanian families and 6 with international families, although adoptions were stopped by the Government of Romania (GOR) for a while and only recently restarted under strict control. Adoption has been a sensitive issue, under intense international scrutiny. Temporary foster care has also been initiated, but difficulties with acceptance and staff cooperation have limited its effects. Holt also plans to focus on maternity wards, working to prevent separation of children from their parents. The reported 1992 rise in children admitted to institutions shows the need to prevent institutionalization. Holt's placement work was carried out by 44 social assistants (SAs) who were trained and supervised by Holt. Some institution staff, especially SAs, had difficulty adjusting to the new Holt model of child placement. In sum, the PACT Consortium's work in permanency planning through family reunification, adoption, or foster care has had significant influence on Romania. Holt's direct activities in reunification through SA training and supervised practice had credible, immediate results and prepared personnel to meet future placement needs. It is unfortunate that no tracking system exists that can verify the long-term effect of the placements. Despite the progress made, many children remain in institutions due to an insufficient number of SAs. Laws and procedures impede the movement of children. Additional training of a significant number of SAs and other child placement staff within technical and university affiliated programs stressing supervised field work is needed. Consistent TA to the GOR is also needed to develop its system for adoption and child protection, along with additional cooperation among consortium NGOs to identify, refer, and place children. Large numbers of children, who because of their conditions or their families' circumstances cannot be cared for at home, will need to remain in appropriate institutions. PACT's short-term consultants have strengthened the Romanian Adoption Committee (RAC) and other national and county level institutions to develop policies and procedures for child protection and placement. PACT-supported international study tours were valuable, promoting the RAC, the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Ministry of Education (MOE), and other GOR agency awareness of comprehensive child care systems. Further TA and study tours will build a critical mass of prepared child protection leaders. Strengthening and sustaining the interest and capability of the directors and staffs of Romanian children's institutions depends on continued staff training, modeling, and allocation of GOR funds for additional staff and travel to prepare children for placement. Additional work in hospitals and communities is needed to prevent the institutionalization of children. (Author abstract, modified)