The Problem

Is that discrimination plagues every part of the world, but a large percentage of discrimination perception of disabilities is on the disabled child, and children are suffering terrible consequences. Over the past thirty years, Romania has seen a dramatic change in orphan care.

​​The exposure of babies tied to cribs and living in unimaginable conditions in orphanages has led to better overall terms. 
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However, there has been an increase in the mentally and physically challenged children being left not only in orphanages but at home without any educational or supportive services.

​Children with disabilities are routinely placed in institutions or with foster carers; the reintegration into their family is difficult, and adoption is at an all-time low. Parents who keep their disabled children have nowhere to turn.
Daycare centers for children with disabilities, including those with an educational focus, are also included among the most effective preventive services.

Some specialists explained that, because of the compulsory standards set in the current regulations for these day centers, the services are quite expensive. In big or medium-size towns or in localities with active private providers, these centers might be available. However, in the rural environment and in small urban areas where there are no private providers and where the local budget is not even enough to pay for salaries, there is little capacity to apply for EU funding or other project-based funding, and thus the likelihood of setting up and operating a day center is quite small. Reassessing the current quality standards or regulating for less expensive daycare services would have a significant impact on children from small and disadvantaged localities at risk of separation from their families.

The Delia's Friends Learning Center is free for all children who attend.

Educational Exclusion

Residing in an institutional government center further delays the development of children with special needs as often children develop associated disabilities. Children who grow up in institutions are not integrated into society. These children will often require long term nursing care, which ironically results in significantly higher social efforts and costs.

Institutionalized for Life

No child should be denied a family life because they are disabled. Institutionalization denies them special love and care.

Together with our partnerships, we can help prepare children living in institutions for schooling and forever homes. 
Offering community-based services that provide children access to health, education and social care tailored to their individual needs. ​
Children with disabilities are still victims of stigma and discrimination. The rights of children with disabilities’ living in government institutions are not entirely met. Discriminatory attitudes towards children with special needs are mainly socially manifested, often going along with parental shame. Social labeling has enabled the community to think that these kids do not have real chances.

Project for Change

Start the conversation, Change the story, Create lasting change
Together with our partnerships, we can help replace institutions, creating the vibrant kids program and working with community-based services that provide children access to health, education and social care tailored to their individual needs.  Creating thriving childhoods full of hope, life, and love to lead to change on a larger scale. 

​Although Romania has come a long way in the last 10 years to change the way their government institutions  are run, they still have a long way to go.
  • Per NPR, today 75,000 children are still in Romanian State institutionalized care, and it's believed some 150,000 others are living in the streets. New efforts have been made in the last few years to reintegrate children in the child protection system with their families or foster placement. But the process for disabled children has been limited to none.
  • The  forgotten population of orphans: the children that have disabilities. The 10-year-old whose mother left him because he cannot walk, the baby girl who was left at the hospital because she had no limbs, the autistic child, the children with Downs Syndrome, the children with intellectual disabilities, the little girl with fetal alcohol syndrome.  There is nowhere for these kids to go, no educational opportunities, limited social interactions, and limited medical assistance. 
  • Due to the poor economics children in state run facilities live in small house-like buildings, staffing is low (16 children to 1-2 aides) in which most these 16 children per house have a handicap. ​
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