Over 20,000 children are in foster care
According to the ANPDC (National Authority for the Protection of the Rights of the Child) there were over 20,000 children registered as being in foster care in March 2008, and in the first three months of the year, 13 cases of abuse of foster children were reported.
According to data provided by the ANPDC, 20,634 children were in foster care, of which 20,436 were under the care of county employees directed by local child protection authorities, while the rest were in the care of non-governmental organizations or assistants employed by local councils. Also, in the first three months of the year, 13 cases of abuse were recorded, including five cases of neglect, four of physical abuse, three of emotional abuse and one case of sexual abuse.
The most recent case is that of a child aged four who died on Thursday while under the care of a foster mother in Bistriţa-Năsăud. The woman, who had two children in her care, was arrested on Thursday evening by police after it was determined that the little boy died as a result of ill-treatment.
According to Government Directive 679/2003, a person can be certified as a foster carer if they are a legal adult who can demonstrate their ability to carry out the performance and obligations of a parent with regards to the nurture, care and education of a child, as determined by their own behavior in society, personal health and psychological profile.
In addition, those who want to become foster carers must be able to provide a suitable residence including an appropriate area for food preparation, and ensure that all those living in the home attend to levels of hygiene and receive an appropriate education, including the foster children. They must also ttend training courses organized by specialized public services for child protection, or private bodies authorized to perform the evaluations and grant certificates to professional foster carers. Those wishing to become foster carers must submit a request to the child protection authority in te county, or sector (in Bucharest) where they live, or to a registered private body authorized to carry out this work on behalf of the child protection authority.
As part of request, the applicant must indicate the number of children they can care for simultaneously, the preferred age group and sex of the child/children, and whether they are able to care for children who are HIV positive or suffering from AIDS. The application will be evaluated within 90 days from the date of submission.
The assessment process includes interviews with the applicant and the person/s with whom he/she lives carried out by a social worker and a psychologist, who will determine the applicant's psychological profile, assess their motivation for becoming a foster carer, consider the implications on others living in the household and visit the home. Recommendations from neighbours, acquaintances, relatives of the applicant and representatives of the local authorities will also be taken into account.
After analyzing the documentation submitted and hearing the request, the child protection committee will decide whether to grant the certificate. The foster carer's certificate is valid for three years and may be renewed, suspended or withdrawn by the commission for child protection, or the appropriate registered private body. For each child received into care by the foster carer, a separate contract is drawn up in addition to the certification.
The child protection service (or authorized private body) must supervise the work of the foster carer and provide quarterly reports on the progress of the child/children to the child protection committee. The Commission for Child Protection ma decide to suspend or withdraw the carer's certificate if they are no longer satisfied that basic requirements are being met or if the foster carer is not meeting their professional obligations. Suspending or revoking the certificate leads to a suspension or termination of the carer's employment contract.
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