Output #6: “(i) Analysis of the survey of families of institutionalized children living in source communities, (ii) identification of children exposed to the risk of separation in at least 30 source communities, (iii) 30 plans for the development of preventative services in rural source communities, (iv) a plan for the monitoring and evaluation of closing Residential Centers, and (v) a dissemination report presenting the results of the RAS� First part Version in English December 2018 Disclaimer: This report is a product of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/the World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank, its Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. This report does not necessarily represent the position of the European Union or the Romanian Government. Copyright statement: The material in this publication is copyrighted. Copying and/or transmitting portions of this work without permission may be a violation of applicable laws. For permission to photocopy or reprint any part of this work, please send a request with complete information to: (i) the National Authority for Protection of Children’s Rights and Adoption (7 Gheorghe Magheru Avenue, Sector 1, Bucharest); or (ii) the World Bank Group in Romania (31 Vasile Lascăr Street, 6th floor, Sector 2, Bucharest, Romania). 2 Reimbursable Advisory Services Agreement on Development of Plans for the De- institutionalization of Children Deprived of Parental Care and Their Transfer to Community- Based Care (P156981) OUTPUT #6: “(i) Analysis of the survey of families of institutionalized children living in source communities, (ii) identification of children exposed to the risk of separation in at least 30 source communities, (iii) 30 plans for the development of preventive services in rural source communities, (iv) a plan for the monitoring and evaluation of closing Residential Centers, and (v) a dissemination report presenting the results of the RAS� This report was prepared under the Reimbursable Advisory Services Agreement between the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the National Authority for the Protection of Children’s Rights and Adoption, concluded on May 12, 2016, for the technical assistance in the implementation of the project “Development of the Plan for the Deinstitutionalization of Children in Residential Care and Their Transition to Community-Based Care� – code SIPOCA 2, funded by the European Social Fund under the Operational Program for Administrative Capacity. This report is part of Output 6 under the Agreement. 3 Acknowledgements Output #6 delivered under the Reimbursable Advisory Services Agreement on Development of Plans for the De-institutionalization of Children Deprived of Parental Care and Their Transfer to Community-Based Care was developed under the supervision of Mr. Cem Mete, with overall guidance from Ms. Tatiana Proskuryakova. Data collection and report preparation activities were coordinated by Mr. Emil Teșliuc, Mr. Vlad Grigoraș (team leaders), and Ms. Manuela Sofia Stănculescu. More than 350 people were involved in producing this report. Simona Anton, Elena Cătălina Iamandi Cioinaru, Bogdan Corad, CristinaCornea (Vladu), Mihai Enache, Claudiu Ivan, Monica Marin, Andra Panait, Radu Răcăreanu, George Rădulescu, Andreea Stănculescu (Trocea) and Alexandru Toth provided inputs to the data analysis and drafting this report. Monica Lachner translated Output #6 in English. Moreover, the team received the support of the following: Andrei Zambor, Monica Ion, Corina Grigore, Oana Caraba and Alexandra Călin. The World Bank would like to acknowledge the excellent cooperation, guidance and timely feedback provided by the ANPDCA representatives, in particular by Ms. Gabriela Coman (President), Ms. Elena Tudor (Project Manager). Also, the World Bank would like to express its gratitude to all public employees who got involved in data collection. The World Bank team would like to particularly thank the directors of the General Directorates for Social Assistance and Child Protection (DGASPC), the mayors of the 30 source communities, the principals of coordinating schools and doctors in these communities, for their cooperation. Also, the World Bank team would like to thank the main child protection NGOs, as well as UNICEF and other institutions which lent their support throughout the data collection process and drafting of the report. Equal opportunities and equity All project activities were designed and implemented for the equal benefit of boys and girls, men and women. The project team and experts received equal treatment, regardless of gender, ethnic origin, or other characteristics. Sustainable development During project implementation, the World Bank team aimed for a wise and effective use of resources to protect the environment and ensure social cohesion. Every citizen and institution should bear in mind that sustainable development is the only way to meet human needs without undermining the integrity of natural systems and the future of humanity as a whole. 4 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 8 1. 30 PLANS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PREVENTIVE SERVICES IN RURAL SOURCE COMMUNITIES ... 18 1.1. UNITARY METHODOLOGY FOR DRAFTING THE DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES AIMED AT PREVENTING THE SEPARATION OF THE CHILD FROM THE FAMILY .............. 18 1.1.1. Community needs analysis concerning children and families with children in difficult situations .................................................................................................... 19 1.1.2. Analysis of community resources in terms of existing social, educational, medical services ...................................................................................................... 28 1.1.3. Identifying the services required in the community for preventing the separation from the family and for support for families with children ................................................ 33 1.1.4. Community services development plan to prevent the separation of children from families ...................................................................................................... 65 1.2. INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLYING THE INSTRUMENTS PROVIDED IN GD NO. 691/2015 ............ 74 1.2.1. Observation Sheet - Instructions for use........................................................ 74 1.2.2. Risk Identification Sheet - Instructions for use ................................................ 80 1.3. DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR SERVICES PREVENTING CHILD-FAMILY SEPARATION, FOR 30 SOURCE RURAL COMMUNITIES ......................................................................................... 90 2. ANALYSIS OF THE SURVEY OF FAMILIES OF INSTITUTIONALIZED CHILDREN LIVING IN SOURCE COMMUNITIES ..................................................................................................... 92 3. MONITORING AND EVALUATION PLAN TO ENSURE THE TRANSITION FROM INSTITUTIONAL CARE TO COMMUNITY-BASED CARE ...................................................................................... 107 3.1. M&E Indicators for implementing individual plans for closing down traditional placement centers and ensuring the transition from institutional to community-based care ................. 108 3.2. Impact assessment of the deinstitutionalization process ......................................... 119 3.3. Data sources and information management ........................................................ 119 3.4. Roles and responsibilities ............................................................................. 120 3.5. Reporting and dissemination ......................................................................... 120 4. IDENTIFICATION OF CHILDREN EXPOSED TO THE RISK OF SEPARATION IN AT LEAST 30 SOURCE COMMUNITIES .................................................................................................... 122 4.1. Communes and villages for which the lists of children exposed to the risk of separation have been prepared................................................................................................ 122 4.2 Template for a "Registry of at-risk children in the community" .................................. 123 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................... 126 ANNEX 1: County codes ........................................................................................ 130 ANNEX 2. Working tools ........................................................................................ 132 A2.1. Template of an �Observatory of children in the community� .................................. 132 A2.2. Possible adjustments for the risk identification sheet .......................................... 133 A2.3. Correspondence between the risk situations in the Observation Sheet and the variables (questions) in the Risk Identification Sheet .............................................................. 154 A2.4. "Report on at-risk children in the community" - template ...................................... 158 5 A2.5. Sheet of relevant social services for children and youth at risk in the commune identified in the community and in the functional micro-area ....................................................... 163 A2.6. Potential funding sources to develop services in the community ............................. 167 6 ACRONYMS AMP Professional foster carer ANA National Anti-Drug Agency ANPDCA National Authority for the Protection of Children’s Rights and Adoption AP Apartments (residential services) APL Local Public Authorities WB World Bank CJRAE County Center for Educational Resources and Assistance CP Placement center CTF Small group home DGASPC General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection DSP District Health Authority HCL Local Council Decision IEC Information, education, communication ISJ County School Inspectorate ITM Territorial Labour Inspectorate MC Case Manager MEN Ministry of National Education MMJS Ministry of Labor and Social Justice1 MS Ministry of Health ONG Non-governmental organization PIP Individual Protection Plan PIS Individualized Service Plan POR Regional Operational Program PNDL National Local Development Program PNDR National Rural Development Program PFam Family placement SEN Special educational needs SPAS Public Social Assistance Service 1Called the Ministry of Labor, Family, Social Protection and the Elderly (MMFPSPV) until January 2017. 7 INTRODUCTION The present output was carried out under the Reimbursable Advisory Services Agreement concluded for the Development of Plans for the De-institutionalization of Children Deprived of Parental Care and Their Transfer to Community-Based Care, between the World Bank and the National Authority for the Protection of Children’s Rights and Adoption (ANPDCA), on May 12, 2016. The Agreement covers the technical assistance for the ANPDCA project – “Development of the Plan for the Deinstitutionalization of Children in Residential Care and Their Transition to Community-Based Care� – code SIPOCA 2, funded by the European Social Fund under the Operational Program for Administrative Capacity. Between May-October 2018, the World Bank team collected and analyzed the data needed to prepare the sixth output under the Agreement (Output #6)2. This report is a continuation of the first five outputs, already submitted to the ANPDCA (in March, June and December 2017 and June, September 2018), this being the last outoput under this Agreement. Output #6 incorporates the ideas and comments formulated during eight regional consultation seminars (one per each region of the country), organized in July 2018 by the National Authority for Child Protection and Adoption (ANPDCA), attended byover 400 representatives of county and local authorities, as well as NGOs from this field. Report structure In line with the vision of the ANPDCA, translated into the “National Strategy for the Protection and Promotion of Children’s Rights 2014 -2020�,3 under this Agreement, the World Bank provides technical assistance on four strategic lines of action for the deinstitutionalization of children deprived of parental care, as follows: (i) Closure of placement centers 4. In 2018, there were still 155 residential centers with approximately 6000 children taken care of in them, under the coordonation of the County Directorates for Social Assistance and Child Protection. (ii) Development of alternative services to residential care 5. Three types of services are relevant here which spans on a continuum of preferred options from: family-type foster care with relatives and other families/persons, professional foster care, and small-sized residential-type facilities (family-type homes and apartments). (iii) Improvement of case management6, to ensure good-quality and adequate protective services7 (iv) Development of preventive and support services in the community. 8 Output #6 focuses on the fourth strategic dimension – developing community prevention and support services; our approach is that prevention represents: “prevention of child neglect, abuse 2 The main questionnaire used for the data collection of the situation of the families with children in the 30 source communities and the list of risks were not drawn-up by the World Bank team, but had been developed before and legislated in 2015 to be used for all families with children in all Romanian localities by the Public Services for Social Assistance. An assessment of the way in which the application of the legislated instruments could function with proper tools (online software for data collection) was one of the objectives of the exercise as well. 3GD no. 1113/2014 4This theme is also tackled under Output #1 (March 2017) and Output #2 (June 2017) and in Output #4 (June 2018). 5See also Output #3 (December 2017) and in Output #4 (June 2018). 6According to the Romanian Law, as soon as a child has been referred to the child protection system, a case manager must develop an Individualized Protection Plan (PIP) for the child, and makes sure that the plan is followed to ensure that the best alternatives for the child are being followed, that the stay of the child in the system is only temporary. 7See also Output #4 (June 2018). 8See also Output #4 (June 2018). 8 and RELINQUISHMENT and separation from family�. The report also offers useful information for the second strategic direction, namely developing alternative services to placement center care. This Report has been organized into four parts, as follows: 1. The description of the tools needed for developing 30 plans for the development of preventive services in rural source communities 9 that have been identified and selected based on Output #4. Specifically, the section includes: (i) the Unitary methodology for preparing the development of community services aimed at preventing child-family separation, and (ii) Instructions for using the instruments provided in GD no. 691/201510 – Observation Sheet and Risk Identification Sheet – that have been developed by ANPDCA and put at the disposal of local public authorities in communes, in view of identifying and monitoring at-risk children. The 30 plans were prepared as separate documents that complements this report (one of them has been translated in English. 2. An analysis of the survey of families of institutionalized children living in source communities. 3. A Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for the transition from institutional care to community care. 4. The list of at least 30 source communities for which the children exposed to the risk of separation have been identified. The scope of this report is multipurpose. Part 1 of the Report aims to propose a framework for preparing plans for developing social services for children and their families at risk and also to be the core of a handbook in which all the steps and the types of services responding to their needs will be presented in great detail. The same section includes the Instructions for Applying the Instruments provided in GD no. 691/2015 which complements the existing legislation and offers a how-to resource for practitioners. Part 2 aims to dig into the profile of the families with children separated from them by comparing them with other families from the same communities in order to understand better their risks and propose better ways of addressing them. Part 3 proposes a monitoring and evaluation plan for the transition from institutional to community-based care that should be put into practice over the next years in order to make sure that the deinstitutionalization becomes reality. The final section of the report describes the registrer of children at risk in the 30 communities; the register was filled in for each of these communities with the data collected for all families with children in September-October 2018, in order to target better the interventions at local level and to make sure that no child in need is left behind. This report is complemented by 30 plans for developing preventive services, and by a dissemination report presenting the results of the RAS. Our key message The deinstitutionalization of children in Romania should be planned and carried out considering the best interest of the children and youth. Beyond the closure of placement centers for children, this process implies setting up, developing and strengthening new services, so as to provide the most adequate form of alternative care, in a family setting, along with different preventive and support services in the communities. 9By definition, “source communities� (be they rural or urban) are areas at the locality or sub -locality level, where from, in comparison with the other localities/areas, a significantly higher number of children reach the public child protection system. Sub-locality areas may refer to a neighborhood, but also to a street, to a group of houses and/or blocks of flats, in urban areas, and to a whole village, to a settlement or to a group of houses in the rural environment (Stănculescu, Grigoraș, Teșliuc and Pop, coord., 2016). 10 Government Decision no. 691/2015 on approving the procedure for monitoring the upbringing and care for children whose parents work abroad and the services they can receive, and on approving the Working Methodology regarding the collaboration between the Directorates-General of Social Assistance and Child Protection and the public social assistance services and the templates for the documents drafted by them, Official Journal no. 663 of 01.09.2015. 9 Child deinstitutionalization principles The below set of principles11 has guided all the methodologies, analyses, instruments and recommendations under Output #6, together with all other deliverables and outputs delivered under this Agreement. Residential care should be Residential care should be used only as a a last resort and provided only used only as a last resort temporarily either in placement centers or in small-sized facilities (groups homes or apartments) before finding a permanent family care solution as quickly as possible. One has to bear in mind that any newly created residential facility comes with a need for permanent residents. Children are the main Therefore, the institutional closure process should, first and foremost, be beneficiaries of centered on children and their families. deinstitutionalization processes Children need to participate All the conditions need to be provided so as to involve children in decisions in and be consulted that concern them, in accordance with their age and maturity. Children with throughout the entire disabilities, too, need to be encouraged to express their views, their ability to process, and their views evolve has to be valued, and focus should be maintained on their have to be heard developmental potential while showing trust in that potential. It is preferable for children Whenever possible, children should be reintegrated into their biological to grow up in their biological families, be cared for within their extended families, or be adopted. families Children and family need to Children’s needs and circumstances cannot be separated from those of the be taken as a whole family. Hence, the assessment of circumstances and the planning of interventions or new services need to look at family and child as a whole. Family support services need Children and their parents may need support and specialized services to to be available in the prevent family separation and disruption, as well as to ensure the child’s community and preventive sustainable reintegration. Family support services need to be available in the services need to be community and adapted to the individual needs of each child and family. strengthened Deinstitutionalization should No child will be moved out of an institution before s/he and his or her family start with the have been through a multidisciplinary evaluation process. Based on those multidisciplinary evaluation evaluations, a conclusive report will be prepared, setting out the service plan, of each child’s needs and measures will be planned and taken to ensure that the child is moved out as adequately as possible from a physical and psychoemotional perspective. New services need to be Where and how new services are developed and everything related to their planned based on the needs planning need to match the needs of the children benefiting from those identified for each child, not services, which should prevail over any other considerations. on administrative priorities Under the institutional The practice of moving “bad children� to centers that are not closed down and closure program, no child transferring “good children� to the new services, as it sometimes happens, will will be transferred to a not be accepted. 11The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by Romania under Law No. 18/1990, and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ratified under Law No. 221/2010, provide the general framework of principles and values for deinstitutionalization. All these principles have been incorporated into the “National Strategy for the Protection and Promotion of Children’s Rights 2014 -2020� and into laws, including compulsory standards and regulations for all interventions in this area. 10 larger institution Quality standards need to be Quality standards have been developed for most services; they should be followed followed during planning and implementation phases. In planning each action, Children are extremely sensitive to change. Consequently, during the priority should be given to institutional closure process, any move should be a positive experience and the child’s stability and final, as much as possible. This means that all children will be moved for the changes should be minimized long term, in a well-prepared and planned manner, to alternative family-based services or small-sized residential facilities (CTFs, apartments). Outcomes should be New services, planned interventions and their expected outcomes should be realistically planned realistic and consider all options (including, moving into specialized institutions for adults, where applicable). Respect for the child’s best Improvement needs to be noticeable, quantifiable and sustainable. Temporary interests and the and partial solutions are not enough. For each child, the outcome should be improvement of children’s what that child needs in order to reach his or her full potential, not a slight living conditions should be improvement of the current situation. demonstrable Children need to be Reintegration into the biological family or placement with relatives should not protected from harm or happen at all costs. Children will not be exposed to any risk or abuse. For abuse instance, if one of the reasons for child placement was family abuse or neglect, the child will not be reintegrated into the family unless a rigorous assessment proves that things have changed and the child is no longer at risk, paired with a strict post-integration monitoring plan. Children need to maintain Children who cannot be reintegrated into their biological families or cared for contact with their families within their extended families should be allowed to maintain contact with family members. Thus, an alternative form of placement should be sought without moving the child too far away and visits should be facilitated when they are in the child’s interest. Children will be reunited Groups of siblings will not be separated as a result of the institutional with their siblings, whenever closure process. Where it is possible and in the interest of each child, possible groups of siblings will stay together or be reunited. Special attention should be This involves careful step-by-step planning and adequate support paid to youth leaving care (qualification, job, housing etc.), counseling and monitoring services until social integration is complete. Planning will be done with every young person about to leave care. Post-deinstitutionalization Post-deinstitutionalization monitoring and evaluation are needed for each child monitoring and evaluation are and family and for all newly created services. vital Center buildings should no Options for the future use of those buildings should under no circumstances longer be used for residential include group-based residential care. Wherever possible, consideration may be child care given to the possibility of splitting those buildings into fully independent apartments for people leaving care (and not only), with accessible housing options. Deinstitutionalization Integrated interventions are needed in all aspects of family life (sometimes requires a multidisciplinary implemented by several bodies): housing conditions, family and social approach relations, physical and mental health, and finances/ability to make a living. Deinstitutionalization is not a Deep changes are needed in attitudes towards children, family life and child stand-alone process relinquishment. The deinstitutionalization process should be rolled out along with attempts to change attitudes, social and cultural norms regarding family 11 life and child relinquishment. It is highly important to promote acceptance of parental responsibilities and ensure the general and specialized support that parents need. NGOs can be extremely Civil society organizations can always bring the innovation, flexibility, quality valuable partners throughout and celerity required in the deinstitutionalization process. the entire More than that, NGOs have the ability and capacity to reach local deinstitutionalization process communities, to quickly adapt responses to the needs identified and build capacity, where needed. For all these reasons, consideration should be given to ways to involve private service providers in the long term and build public-private partnerships. Creating an open market for provision of services based on contracting/outsourcing procedures could ensure a prompt and flexible response to the needs and the sustainability of actions taken by the civil society and the private sector to provide good-quality services. The role of NGOs should not be limited to direct provision of services. NGOs should act as partners for the DGASPC in the efforts to close down placement centers and, more broadly, to deinstitutionalize children. Their participation can create added value in all process phases, from preparation, planning and application for funding to implementation and, in particular, as part of the monitoring and evaluation process. Sources: Mulheir and Browne (2007), UN (2010), EEG (2012), ANPDCA (2014). 12 BACKGROUND INFORMATION The National Authority for the Protection of Children’s Rights and Adoption (ANPDCA) under the Romanian Ministry of Labor and Social Justice (MMJS) 12 requested assistance from the World Bank in developing an operational plan for the deinstitutionalization of children cared for in traditional placement centers and their transition to the services developed in their home communities. Reducing the number of children living in unsuitable large child care institutions remains a priority for the Romanian Government in the coming years. The Government has already committed to speed up the deinstitutionalization process and has made this issue a priority under different strategic documents, including the National Strategy for the Protection and Promotion of Children’s Rights 2014-2020, the National Strategy on Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction 2015- 2020, and the Partnership Agreement. In line with the European Commission’s Social Investment Package and Recommendation on "Investing in Children: Breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage", the ANPDCA established, among other things, the following priorities for 2014-2020: (i) Close down traditional child care institutions and transfer children from those institutions to community-based services, and (ii) Ensure early and preventive interventions for children, which will guarantee children’s right to grow up in a family environment and will help them reach their full p otential and exercise all their rights. Communism left Romania with a disastrous child protection system. Between 1945 and 1989, the State set up a network of large institutions and poor families were encouraged to put their children (especially those with disabilities) into public care. Traditional child care patterns, like placing the child in difficulty with a member of his or her extended family, were undermined. In the context of aggressive pro-birth policies, combined with the economic crisis of the 1980s, the outcome was devastating. In 1989, more than 100,000 children were living in such institutions, in appalling conditions. Moreover, even when material conditions were reasonable, institutionalization had a strong negative impact on children’s health, development and psychological state because of depersonalization, rigid routines and social isolation. 13 Over the past 15 years, the Government has made significant progress in reducing the number of institutionalized children, also by developing alternative family-based services, but progress has stagnated since 2010. The number of children in residential care (in public and private placement centers, including group homes) declined from a record high of 57,181, reported in December 2000, to approximately 15,478, as of September 30, 2016. Nonetheless, in 2011, for the first time in 15 years, the number of institutionalized children escalated 14, as a consequence of a larger poor population and the limited budget available for family-based services. However, in the past few years, the rate has started to drop again. Moreover, the total number of children in special care in Romania15 benefiting from a special protection measure diminished significantly, from approximately 98,000 children in 1997 to approximately 52,774, as of September 30, 2016. However, there was also a decline in the total child population, which means that the rates of children in special care actually stagnated (1,776 per 100,000 children in 2000 and 1,641 per 100,000 children in 2011), illustrating the limited ability of the system to reduce the number of children entering care. Compared with other countries in Central and Eastern Europe and the Community of Independent States (CEE/CIS), Romania has an average rate 16 of children placed into 12Called the Ministry of Labor, Family, Social Protection and the Elderly (MMFPSPV) until January 2017. 13 Johnson et al. (2006), Browne (2009), Tobis (2000), National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (2014). 14 MMFPS, DGPC (2011: 1). The number of institutionalized children (placed in residential care) was 23,240 in 2011, compared with 23,103 in 2010. 15 In Romania, the special care system comprises a set of measures, benefits and services developed for raising and caring for children who are temporarily or permanently separated from their parents and cannot be left in their care. 16 Romania has between 1,600 and 1,700 children in public care, per 100,000 children, in the total population aged 0 to 17, compared to an average of 1,850 per 100,000 children aged 0 to 17 reported in the CEE/CIS region and in the countries from Eastern Europe and Central Asia (Transmonee database, 2015, Table 6.1.22). 13 public care. Nevertheless, in absolute figures, the child protection system of Romania remains one of the largest, having to look after approximately 60,000 children (with 52,000 in special care). 17 The closure of child care institutions has been a slow process and the share of children placed in (traditional or modular) institutions has not changed since 2011. According to the National Strategy for the Protection and Promotion of Children’s Rights 2014 -2020:18 “Child care institutions were restructured as efforts were made to provide family-based alternatives to residential child care and to prevent child relinquishment. On the one hand, large-sized traditional institutions (100 to 400 places) were reorganized in an attempt to make them smaller, to modulate them, and to offer more space to each child, in a setting as close to family environment as possible. The decrease in the number of children due to deinstitutionalization – especially through children’s reintegration into their biological or extended families or their placement with a family or a person – made institutional ‘humanization’ possible. Still, not all placement centers had this kind of makeover; due to lack of funding and experience, after 2007 the whole process ran at a slow pace, in stages, as dictated by available funds or priorities set under county strategies. In 2011, 52% of children in residential care were living in traditional and modular institutions.� 19 At the end of 2014, 50% of children in residential care were still living in institutions (placement centers). The child deinstitutionalization reform implemented so far in Romania offers five key lessons which decision-makers have to consider for this new wave of reforms . The key lessons learned show that: (i) Institutional closure and new service development need to be planned based on the specific needs identified for each child and his or her family, and by consulting them; (ii) The closure of placement centers should be combined with the development and strengthening of services meant to prevent children’s separation from their families, at community level; (iii) The monitoring and evaluation of the child’s post -closure circumstances and the quality of the newly created alternative services need to improve considerably; (iv) NGOs are valuable child protection partners and, for that reason, deinstitutionalization should be mostly built on public-private partnerships; (v) It would be useful to roll out information and awareness-raising campaigns for the general public and local decision-makers in order to improve community acceptance and integration of these children, especially of those with special needs. As of March 31st, 2015, most of these children were still living in placement centers, be they traditional or modular.20According to the official statistics of the ANPDCA, there were 81 traditional placement centers, with a total of 3,866 children and young people. Additionally, there were other 83 modular placement centers, with 3,492 children. Although the need to close down those centers had been unanimously accepted, the costs of that process were extremely high and available funds were clearly insufficient. Consequently, at the start of the SIPOCA 2 project, priorities had to be set so as to decide which centers would be closed down first, based on a thorough analysis of their circumstances and the quality of the services they were providing to children. Therefore, within the project, Output #2 (June 2017) proposed an evidence-based typology of traditional and modular centers and a prioritization methodology with a set of list options for prioritizing the closure of placement centers for children in Romania. The typology of traditional and modular centers has not yet been recognized as such in a consistent manner nationwide. The prioritization methodology was based on a multi-criteria evaluation meant to rank all placement centers in Romania (both traditional and modular ones) according to the quality of care delivered to children.21 Thus, the prioritization methodology identified the centers where children’s health 17 The other approximately 8,000 children benefit from guardianship, day care, special supervision, counseling, prevention and different other services which don’t require removal from family and placement into family - based services or residential care. 18 ANPDCA (2014: 30) 19 According to HHC (2012), an "old-type", "traditional" or "classic" institution is a placement centre accommodating over 12 children or young people, with more than four children in a bedroom and with shared sanitary facilities for the residents living on the same floor. A "refurbished", "restructured" or "modular" institution is a placement centre accommodating over 12 children or young people, organized into units, which typically consist of one bedroom, one living room, and one bathroom. By comparison, a group home (CTF) is a residential facility based on a family model, with a living room, a kitchen, and bathrooms. 20 March 13, 2015 was the reference date set when the project was developed, back in 2015. 21For example, based on the multi-criteria evaluation, Output #2 has clearly showed that, although modular centers are somewhat better than traditional ones as concerns the environment of care, there are no 14 and developmental needs were unlikely to be covered. 22 For this, the multi-criteria evaluation looked at: (1) the quality of child care in every placement center, in terms of (a) the number of affected children,23 (b) environment of care, 24 and (c) quality of care25; (2) children’s views about the quality of life in the placement centers where they were living; 26 and (3) the options of the DGASPC regarding which centers needed to be closed down and in which order.27 Hence, since it is impossible to find a one-size-fits-all solution for prioritizing the closure of placement centers, a set of "good" process planning practices was proposed. The closure of placement centers is a process28 which needs to be carefully and thoroughly planned in order to establish: (i) The needs of children currently living in those centers; (ii) Alternatives to the care currently delivered in those centers, which could be considered after centers are closed down; (iii) Services that could be delivered, considering the resources available and those needed; (iv) Areas and levels of investment that will be needed; (v) Staff training needs and new types of employees to be hired; (vi) Preventive measures to be taken or strengthened for reducing the number of children who enter special care. To that end, Output #2 (June 2017) and Output #5 (September 2018) included a "Methodology on Developing Individual Closure Plans for Placement Centers in Romania". That way, every traditional or modular center can be closed down based on a methodology and a plan which consider all the aforementioned elements (with special attention to children’s needs) and look at the extent to which the available human, financial and material resources are adequate for that institution. Moreover, Output #3 (December 2017) showed the manner in which the preliminary methodology for developing individual closure plans for placement centers (presented in the Methodology) was refined for the multidisciplinary evaluation of children. At the same time, it provided valuable information about alternative care measures for children living in placement centers, based on a multidisciplinary (medical, psychological, social and educational) assessment of their needs29 and on their preferences for and choices of alternative care options, as expressed by the very children during focus groups. differences in the quality of care. Hence, modular and traditional centers deliver the same quality of care (not very good) to their beneficiaries. 22 Mulheir and Browne (2007: 55). 23 (a) Number of affected children: the bigger the center, the greater the need to close it down in order to give all the children who live there the chance to grow up in an environment as close to a family setting as possible. 24 (b) Environment of care: insufficient and/or low-quality human and material resources in a center can affect the health and development of children living there. As a result, the poorer the resources available in a center, the greater the need to close it down. Structural variables associated with the environment of care have been categorized into four sub-dimensions: distance and isolation, institutional infrastructure, health and safety issues, and carers (López Boo et al, 2016: 53) 25 (c) Quality of care: children’s health and development can also be negatively impacted by abusive interaction and neglect or other forms of violence from center employees or other children. As a result, the poorer the quality of care in a center, the greater the need to close it down. Relevant process variables have been categorized into three sub-dimensions: child development services and activities, interaction between children and carers, and implementation of quality standards and case management. (López Boo et al, 2016: 53) 26 Information from focus groups. 27 Information from interaction with the DGASPC, mainly during interviews. 28 According to the recommendation of the European Expert Group on the Transition from Institutional to Community-based Care formulated in the “Common European Guidelines on the Transition from Institutional to Community-based Care� and in the “Toolkit on the Use of European Union Funds for the Transition from Institutional to Community-based Care� (EEG, 2012). 29The multidisciplinary evaluation of a representative sample of 1,712 children and young people from placement centers, with data entered into the E-cuib application. 15 The success of deinstitutionalization will essentially depend on the decrease in the number of children entering placement centers. It is particularly necessary to draw up a methodology for identifying children at risk of being separated from their families. This methodology is part of this Output #6 (December 2018). Reducing the number of children in special care will require preventive services developed in the community. Research shows that there are places (especially source communities) without early intervention and guidance services, which is one of the reasons why children may end up in special care.30 According to official statistics, almost 1.4% of all Romanian children aged 0 to 17 are at risk of being separated from their families. Nevertheless, a UNICEF study has estimated that the rate is higher – almost 2% of children aged 0 to 17 – if we also count ‘invisible’ children.31 Consequently, Output #6 includes a unitary Methodology for drafting development plans for community services aimed at preventing child-family separation, accompanied by prevention services development plans in 30 sources communities from the rural area, identified and selected based on Output #4. Moreover, this output also includes a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for transitioning from institutional care to community care. 30Stănculescu et al. (coord.) (2016) 31Stănculescu and Marin (2012). ‘Invisible’ children are those who “are disappearing from view within their families, communities and societies and to governments, donors, civil society, the media and even other children�, according to UNICEF (2006) The State of the World’s Children 2006: Excluded and Invisible, www.unicef.org 16 Output #6 1 30 PLANS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PREVENTIVE SERVICES IN RURAL SOURCE COMMUNITIES 17 1. 30 PLANS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PREVENTIVE SERVICES IN RURAL SOURCE COMMUNITIES 1.1. UNITARY METHODOLOGY FOR DRAFTING THE DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES AIMED AT PREVENTING THE SEPARATION OF THE CHILD FROM THE FAMILY This section contains the proposed unitary methodology for drafting development plans for prevention services for rural communities in Romania. This methodology focuses developing services to prevent the separation of the child from the family through the active participation of all community stakeholders, through dialogue and negotiation, taking into account the specific local conditions both for children and families with children in difficult situations, and the resources available in the community to find the best solutions for children in need. This way, the process of developing services for preventing the separation of the child from the family will also help increase the social cohesion in the community, along with lowering the social exclusion of children and families with children in difficult situations. The methodology presented below is divided into the following five sections: 1. Community needs analysis concerning children in difficult situations 2. Community resources analysis concerning existing social, educational, medical services 3. Identifying the prevention services required in the community 4. Community services development plan to prevent the separation of children from families 5. Method of monitoring, evaluation and, where appropriate, amending the development plan. 6. 7. Image from a rural source community 18 1.1.1. Community needs analysis concerning children and families with children in difficult situations The deinstitutionalization of children in the care of the state is the complex process of transition from institutional care to service-based care that prevents the separation of the child from the family and on a variety of family-based alternative services and community-based care. The planning of the deinstitutionalization process should be based on the child's best interest and on the individual needs of the child and their family. Therefore, identifying children at risk 32 and their specific support needs is the first step in order to determine what kind of support would be most effective in preventing the separation of these children from their family. GD no. 691/2015 establishes: (1) the procedure for monitoring child upbringing and care on the basis of which SPAS representatives monitor the situations of children from the community to identify if they are in situations at risk, and, based on the risks identified, the SPAS representative establishes Plans of Services for children at risk and their families, and (2) the working methodology regarding the collaboration between DGASPC and SPAS and the standard instruments that are to be used – the observation sheet, for the identification of children in the community that raise the suspicion they may be at risk, and the risk identification sheet through which the SPAS representative collects detailed information about the family through a household visit. The DGASPC ensures the coordination and methodological guidance of the SPAS activity in the field of child protection by designating social workers responsible for maintaining the relationship with SPAS staff, or by establishing a specialized department in this regard, to accomplish the following main tasks: organizing semestrial meetings between DGASPC and SPAS; providing the link between SPAS and DGASPC compartments, other SPASs or NGOs in the county; guiding the SPAS (including on-site visits) in their current work of identifying and assessing the child and family, as well as planning and monitoring the intervention; attending on-site visits at the justified request from SPAS; providing methodological guidance at the request of SPAS for the development of local development strategies, project writing, or other activities related to child separation by parents. The methodology for identifying children at risk and their specific support needs, in terms of services and benefits, is the topic of this section. This methodology is based on the existing legislative framework, i.e. on GD no. 691/2015, which is commonly known and used by SPAS specialists. Only in the areas where we considered that the existing tools provided in the legislation could be improved, the current report proposes new working tools that are outlined in Annex 2 33. 32 A risk situation is, by definition, any situation, measure or inaction that affects the physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development of the child, in the family or in the community, for a determined period of time (GD no. 691/2015, art. 2). 33 Although the Government Decision no. 691/2015 aims to regulate the way in which the Public Service for Social Assistance responds to the needs of the children (and implicitly of their families) only, and the plans developed within this project cover only the preventative services, the best solution over medium to long term is to develop an even more integrated approach in the way the needs of all vulnerable groups (including not only children, but also people with disabilities, elderly and other vulnerable groups) are being addressed. The broader approach would be driven by two arguments: (i) other vulnerable groups could be part of the households in which the families with children live, which would affect the wellbeing of the children as well, and (ii) the same social workers and other community workers have to address the needs of all these groups. The Implementation Plan “Develop Integrated Social Services at the Community Level� developed within the Advisory Services Agreement on “Provision of Input for the Preparation of a Draft National Strategy and Action Plan on Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction� recommends a roadmap on how to support the development of an extensive, coordinated, and integrated set of community-based services. These integrated services would be put into practice to serve the achievement of a minimum list of wellbeing objectives that cover seven dimensions: Documentation identification, Education, Health, Income, Employment, Family dynamics, and Housing for 35 specific groups ranging from people with no identity documents, children who have dropped out of school, unemployed, to elderly who live alone and cannot live independently and have no assistance in the household. 19 Figure 1: Steps of community needs analysis concerning children and families with children at risk Step 1. Step 2. Observation sheet - Community census The “Community Children of families with children Observatory" Step 3. The Risk identification sheet, Step 4. filled out for all families with children Registry of community children at risk where there are suspicions of at least one risk indicator Step 5. Drafting, implementing and Step 6. monitoring service plans - measures Report on community children at risk needed to support the child and the family - for families with children in the Registry of community children at risk In line with the current legislative framework, 34 in order to inform activities aimed at preventing the separation of children from their families at the level of the territorial-administrative unit, SPAS must identify children at risk who need services and benefits. The risk situations in which children may be are identified at least with regards to: 35 a) the economic situation of the family; b) the social situation of the family; c) the health of family members; d) the level of education of family members; e) the living conditions of the family; f) risk behaviours identified in the family. The community census of families with children in the locality is the method that should be used for identifying children at risk. The tools provided by the legislation for this purpose are the following:36 (1) The Observation sheet, showing the existence of a suspicion (expressed by professionals) about the risk situations (2) The Risk identification sheet which, in case of suspicion, allows a complete diagnosis of the risk situations and the specific support needs of family with the children concerned, in terms of services and benefits. The observation sheet must be filled out by a SPAS representative or by local professionals who, by virtue of their profession, come into contact with the child, such as the community police officers, family doctors, teaching staff, nurses, school mediators, health mediators, community nurses, priests, as well as specialists from NGOs accredited in the field of child protection.37 34 GD no. 691/2015, art. 3 35 GD no. 691/2015, art. 4 and 5. 36 GD no. 691/2015 art. 7 37 GD no. 691/2015, art. 6 20 The Observation sheet must be filled out for all children (0-17 years old) in the territorial- administrative unit. It is advisable to update the Observation Sheet every 12 months or whenever occasioned by an emergency situation, a request or notification from the child or their parents / relatives, a petition (in writing or by telephone) from other persons or when the SPAS acts ex- officio.38 This way, all children in the locality could be monitored, so that, as soon as a suspicion arises, SPAS undertake a rigorous documentation of the risk situations (using the Risk identification sheet), based on which it draws up an effective service plan 39 to prevent the separation of the child from the family. In addition to the current legal provisions, in order to establish a robust monitoring mechanism for the situation of local children, it would be useful to create a "Community Children Observatory" managed by SPAS; this observatory would be a database with the information retrieved from the observation sheets. Considering the deficit of human resources at local level, and the wide range of tasks that the social workers and other professionals have to carry out regularly, it is important to find effective ways in which the observations sheets are being filled in. One option is that: the part of the information from the observation sheets that can be collected from administrative data existing locally is being filled in from those sources of information and the professionals (in different combinations depending on the local circumstances) fill in as much as possible the observation sheets based on their concrete experience with each of the particular children (teachers know information about the children’s education, physicians have information about their health status, social workers have information about their housing conditions etc.). The observation sheets should then be filled through visits only for the children/families for which there is no information available or for those for which information is incomplete. For example, this data could be entered into an Excel table with the indicators in the Observation sheet on columns and children in the community on rows, following the template provided in Annex 2, section A2.1. For an efficient organization of SPAS activities, the date when the Observation sheet was filled out should also be mentioned, for each child, so as to determine, in a timely manner, the list of sheet to be updated every 12 months. At the same time, the conclusion of the Observation sheet showing the steps to be taken by the SPAS should also be mentioned - whether the Risk identification sheet should be filled out or not, and if yes, when it should be filled out and by whom. This database should be updated monthly, by entering data concerning newborns and updates in for the respective month. The community censuses conducted by the World Bank team in 30 rural source communities 40 as part of this project highlighted the fact that the Observation sheet would require some adjustments, as some indicators are too vaguely defined to allow data analysis and interpretation. Therefore, this report uses the list of risk situations in Table 1, which includes the indicators defined in GD no. 691/2015 and amended in compliance with the results of the field research. 38 In the 12 month period, the situation where an institution or a local professional refers the child/the family to the SPAS can be considered as updating the Observation Sheet. 39 GD no. 691/2015, art. 10 and 11 40By definition, “source communities� (be they rural or urban) are areas at the locality or sub-locality level, where from, in comparison with the other localities/areas, a significantly higher number of children reach the public child protection system. Sub-locality areas may refer to a neighborhood, but also to a street, to a group of houses and/or blocks of flats, in urban areas, and to a whole village, to a settlement or to a group of houses in the rural environment (Stănculescu, Grigoraș, Teșliuc and Pop, coord., 2016). 21 Table 1: Amended list of risk indicators in the Observation sheet and the values recorded in the Community censuses conducted in 30 rural source communities (%) Households in the Children Children in commune where at directly Risk indicators households least one family exposed to at risk nucleus is at risk... risk... Total studied in the 30 source communities: - Number 5840 11762 11762 -% 100 100 100 1. ECONOMIC SITUATION 31 38 - a. The family is in a situation of poverty 21 27 - ─ 1. monetary poverty (available income per 18 24 - family member is under 0,4 ISR=200 lei) ─ 2. extreme poverty (regularly, the family couldn’t heat the dwelling, or ensure food for 5 7 - the children) b. The single parent and caregiver or both 17 19 - parents have no occupation or are unemployed c1. The family in poverty that does not receive social benefits for poverty (GMI, heating 10 13 - benefits, emergency aid, soup kitchen, food aid from the EU) 2. SOCIAL SITUATION 46 49 - a. There is an underage mother or an underage pregnant woman in the family 2 3 - b. The family is single-parent 26 29 24 c. The single parent and caregiver or both 4 3 - parents work elsewhere in the country or abroad d. Both parents are deceased, unknown, have lost their parental rights, or have received a criminal penalty terminating their parental rights, have been subjected to a court order, are 5 6 - missing or declared deceased in court, and no guardianship or, as the case may be, no special protection measure is in place e. The family has one or more children who have returned to the country after a migration No data No data No data experience of over one year f. The family has one or more children in the 3 3 - special protection system g. The family has one or more children reintegrated from the special protection system 1 2 1 h. The family has members with sensory, neurological or intellectual disabilities that 10 11 - significantly limit their quality of life and participation in social life ─ 1. adults 7 6 - ─ 2. children 4 5 2 i. At least one family member (including an 9 12 - adult) does not have civil status documents ─ 1. adults 4 5 - 22 Households in the Children Children in commune where at directly Risk indicators households least one family exposed to at risk nucleus is at risk... risk... ─ 2. children 6 10 5 j. One or more family members have received 1 1 - custodial sentences k1. The family has one or more children in placement or in foster care at risk 3 3 2 k2. The family has one or more children 1 1 - relinquished in hospital 3. MEDICAL SITUATION 28 33 - a. The family has one or more members with 10 10 - chronic and communicable diseases b. The family has one or more members who are 5 6 - not registered with a family doctor c. There is a pregnant woman in the family who <1 <1 - is not registered with a family doctor d. The family has an infant who is not registered with a family doctor 1 1 <1 e. The family has one or more children who are not registered with a family doctor 1 2 1 f. The family has one or more children who are not vaccinated 6 8 5 g. The family has one or more children with multiple hospitalization, although they do not 4 4 2 have chronic and transmissible diseases h1. The family has one or more children below the age of 1 year with a health risk 7 11 4 ─ 1. children aged below 1, unvaccinated 1 2 <1 ─ 2. children aged below 1, with low weight at birth (below 2500 grams) 1 1 <1 ─ 3. child who does not receive vitamin D and Iron 2 3 1 ─ 4. children below 6 months who are not breastfed exclusively 2 3 1 ─ 5. children between 6 months and 1 year who do not receive properly diversified food 3 5 2 ─ 6. children aged below 1 year, who are not compliant with the development standards 3 4 1 h2. In the family there is a pregnant woman with a pregnancy risk (the pregnancy is not registered with a family doctor, the pregnant woman has 2 3 - not undertaken prenatal checks or the pregnancy was not desired) 4. LEVEL OF EDUCATION 34 50 - a. One or both parents are illiterate 15 23 - b. The family has one or more children of school age (6-15 years) who are not attending 7 12 5 compulsory education c1. The family has one or more children (6-15 years) who are early school leavers 3 6 2 c2. The family has one or more children (6-15 8 13 6 23 Households in the Children Children in commune where at directly Risk indicators households least one family exposed to at risk nucleus is at risk... risk... years) at risk of school drop-out d. The family has one or more children with low school attendance or repetition of school years 8 13 6 e. The family has one or more children with poor school performance (second examinations etc.) 6 9 4 f. The family has one or more children with a history of school sanctions (have been expelled, 5 8 4 have low conduct grades etc.) g. The family has a large number (3 or more) of ante pre-school / pre-school / school children in 13 26 23 the family h. The family has one or more children with special educational needs 3 4 2 i. The family has one or more children who have never been enrolled in kindergarten or school: 6 10 4 ─ 1. children of pre-school age 4 8 2 ─ 2. children aged between 7 and 9 1 2 1 ─ 3. children aged between 10 and 15 2 3 1 5. LIVING CONDITIONS 50 68 - a. The family lives illegally in the housing <1 <1 - premises, including illegally built premises b1. The family lives in improvised dwelling, in venues that are not intended for this purpose - 2 3 - warehouses, water towers, sewage facilities, derelict buildings, huts. c. The family does not have enough living space, given the numbers of members; the dwelling is 38 51 - overcrowded d. The family does not have access to utilities, 17 22 - especially water, electricity and heating. e. The family does not have the minimum facilities required for cooking, heating and 12 17 - furniture of strict necessity f. The dwelling is not well-maintained, 5 7 - inadequate hygiene g. The family lives in inadequate conditions/ is facing home safety issues (roof leakage, damp 18 23 - walls, rotten or damaged windows/floors etc.) 6. RISK BEHAVIOURS 48 57 - a. The family has a history of complaints / notifications registered with and confirmed by local public administration authorities or by the 6 8 - police, concerning the antisocial behaviour of a family member, such as criminal offenses, using minors for begging etc. b. One or more family members have an aggressive behaviour or the family has a history 30 39 - of domestic violence, such as complaints or a protection order: 24 Households in the Children Children in commune where at directly Risk indicators households least one family exposed to at risk nucleus is at risk... risk... b1. There is a risk of domestic violence and 24 31 - abuse in the family b2. Child in the family with a risk of violence for children 19 26 22 b3. Child in the family with a risk of child neglect 13 18 13 c. Alcohol abuse in the family. 8 9 - d. Psychotropic substance abuse or history of <1 <1 - abuse in the family e1. There are one or more adolescents in the family with a risk behaviour in terms of sexual 17 24 11 activity e2. There are one or more adolescents in the family with a risk behaviour in terms of 12 16 7 substance abuse or violence At least one of them has one of the above risks 85 89 - Notes: The lines marked in a different color show new or modified indicators. Indicator in GD no. 691/2015 1.c. The family receives social benefits for poverty (GMI, heating benefits, emergency aid, soup kitchen, food aid from the EU) is replaced with 1.c1 indicator in the table. The observation sheet combines objective and subjective assessments of risks, needs and access to services at different levels of severity which could make the prioritization of interventions cumbersome. In the case of health related risks for example, the list includes health related risks (such as „children aged below 1, with low weight at birth�), needs for some interventions (such as „children aged below 1 year, who are not compliant with the development standards�) and access to services (such as the fact that „there is a pregnant woman in the family who is not registered with a family doctor�). Moreover, some risks/needs can be objectively identified (such as the fact that the children were vaccinated or not), while others are subjective or at least in a gray area of professional opinion (such as the fact that the family has children at risk of school drop-out). A factor that sometimes makes the planning of interventions more difficult is the choice of the level of analysis of the risks (children exposed to the risk, children in a family with children at risks, and families with the risks). For example, one indicator is the fact that the family has one or more children (6-15 years old) at risk of school drop-out, but no information would be available about the number of such children within these families. Therefore, it would be recommended to review the list of risks using a system that would explicitly differentiate between needs, risks and the priority in answering to them (their severity) and the access to services answering to them. The Risk Identification Sheet is the second tool used for a rigorous diagnosis of risk situations and for planning SPAS interventions aimed at preventing the separation of the child from the family. However, unlike current regulations, the present methodology proposes that the Risk identification sheet be applied only to families with children where a suspicion of a risk situation is raised by SPAS representatives or by other professionals who, by virtue of their profession, come into contact with the child. In other words, we believe that the applying the Risk identification sheet as part of the Community census is a waste of time, energy and effort, especially given the low level of human resources and knowledge rural areas municipalities. In particular in source communities, where there is a high level of support needs, municipalities do not have the institutional capacity to conduct community censuses based on complex tools such as the Risk identification sheet. Moreover, even if they were to conduct such a census, municipalities do not have the capacity to analyze and interpret the results, nor to plan and implement the necessary interventions for all families with children. Therefore, in many cases, legal requirements to implement GD no. 691/2015 have either not been carried out, or have resulted in binders full of pencil and paper questionnaires, which do nothing 25 but collect dust and overcrowd offices, with no practical consequence in terms of service plans and concrete interventions. Like any other type of census, a community census of families with children based on a questionnaire such as the Risk identification sheet could be conducted at longer intervals, for example every 5 years, by SPAS in collaboration with institutions such as the DGASPC or the County Office for Statistics, the latter providing the methodological coordination of the process. The role of such a community census in identifying children at risk could only be justified in situations where both SPAS representatives and other professionals who come into contact with the child at local level fail to properly fulfill their duties of filling out and updating Observations sheets for all children (according to the methodology provided above), and to duly register any suspicion of a risk situation, for each child in the community. Otherwise, if the Community Children Observatory is filled out and updated in accordance with the above requirements, it is not justified to use the Risk identification sheet for families where children are not in a risk situation that may affect their physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development. However, community censuses conducted by the World Bank team have shown that, in rural communities, the share of households with children exposed to at least one risk situation is 85% (Table 1). Therefore, both the observation sheet (in a responsible way) and the risk identification sheet should be filled out for 85% of households with children. However, it is to be expected that in communities that are not source communities, the situation will be better and thus a screening based on the Observation sheet would lead to a significant reduction in the number of hours required to complete the community needs analysis. In conclusion, this methodology supports the application of the Risk identification sheet only in families with children where the Observation sheet has previously raised suspicions about at least one risk situation, namely if any indicator in Table 1 is filled out with the answer “1. yes� by the SPAS representatives or another professional who, by virtue of their profession, comes in contact with the child raised a suspicion concerning any risk situation. Given the limited capacity of Romanian rural area municipalities, targeting of these families with children would ensure the effective use of the existing resources with the best results in preventing the separation of the child from the family, as well as safeguarding the rights of the child. The risk identification sheet must be filled out by a SPAS representative, mandatorily upon visiting the family home, within 72 hours of completing or receiving the Observation Sheet and registering it in the Community Children Observatory database. Additional information, verification and validation of the information declared by the family can be obtained from local professionals who, by virtue of their profession, come into contact with the child, such as the community police officers, family doctors, teaching staff, nurses, school mediators, health mediators, community nurses, priests, as well as specialists from NGOs accredited in the field of child protection. 41 The community censuses conducted by the World Bank team in 30 rural source communities as part of this project highlighted the fact that the Risk identification sheet would require some adjustments, in order to facilitate the use of the sheet as well as the data analysis and interpretation, following the template provided in Annex 2 section A2.2. After filling out the Risk identification sheet, SPAS representatives should perform the following activities: (a) analyzing and interpreting the data obtained in the sheet in order to clarify the diagnosis of risk situations, as well as the specific support needs, in terms of services and benefits. (b) if at least one risk situation is confirmed, SPAS have to develop and monitor the implementation of a service plan - measures required to support the child and the family - tailored to the specific conditions and needs of the child and in accordance with public resources and services available in the community.42 (c) if the data point out to a possible situation of abuse, neglect, exploitation or any other form of violence against the child, SPAS have the obligation to immediately notify the DGASPC; in their 41 GD no. 691/2015, art. 8. 42 GD no. 691/2015, art. 10 and 11 26 turn, DGASPC have the obligation to verify the suspicion within 48 hours and to act according to the legal provisions in force.43 (d) if at least one risk situation is confirmed, the SPAS records the case in the Registry of community children at risk.44 (e) by aggregating the data from all the sheets filled out, SPAS drafts a Report on community children at risk. Three of the above mentioned activities require additional clarifications to the information provided in GD no. 691/2015. They are detailed below. (a) Analysis and interpretation of the data obtained from the Risk identification sheet The Risk Identification Sheet is a complex questionnaire with hundreds of variables. On the one hand, it provides a wealth of useful information for a social worker who intends to plan an effective intervention. On the other hand, the information is very complex, requiring advanced skills in order to be analyzed and interpreted. The analysis and interpretation of these data must be conducted at least in the sense of confirming or invalidating the list of risk situations contained in the Observation Sheet (with the amendments shown in Table 1). Thus, in order to support SPAS, especially those where there is only one person in charge with social assistance, but that person does not have specialized training, Annex 2 section A2.3 shows the variables (questions) and the logical conditions to be used for each type of risk situation. (d) Registry of children at risk In compliance with GD no. 691/2015 (Article 13), the registry for the identification of children at risk should be set up and maintained by SPAS. The register should contain at least the data submitted based on the monitoring sheet referred to in Art. 118 par. (1) letter a) of Law no. 272/2004 on the protection of children's rights, republished as amended and supplemented.45 Therefore, the Registry of children at risk can consist in an Excel table, following the template provided in section 4.2. for the lists of children at risk of separation. Only children experiencing at least one risk situation confirmed by the risk identification sheet are included in this Registry. Children for whom the Risk identification sheet data did not confirm any risk, even if there were suspicions, according to the Observation sheet, should not be included in the Registry, but only in the Community Children Observatory database. The data in the Registry must be updated whenever the Risk identification sheet is updated. (e) Report on community children at risk GD no. 691/2015 does not require SPAS to draft an aggregated report at community level. However, in order to develop a plan for the development of prevention services, a synthetic conclusion of the needs analysis is needed, as shown by the community census in families with children. It is precisely for this purpose that the Report on community children at risk is required. Such a report should be drawn up by the SPAS at least annually. This report should include a brief outline of the activities that have been carried out in the territorial-administrative unit for identifying children at risk, together with a description of the results of these activities, following the template provided in Annex 2 section A2.4. In addition, the report should include a distinct section on children in the commune that are already separated from the family, being in public care, as well as what activities are carried out by the local SPAS in relation to the families of these children in order to increase their chances of family reintegration or, at least, family placement to relatives or other community members. 43 GD no. 691/2015, art. 12. 44 GD no. 691/2015, art. 13. 45 This data is submitted quarterly by SPAS and DGSACP. 27 1.1.2. Analysis of community resources in terms of existing social, educational, medical services Once the needs analysis is concluded, it means SPAS identified, set up the needs and registered the children and youth at risk from the community. For each of them, SPAS has the obligation to develop, implement and monitor a plan of services. 46In order to plan the interventions (as well as to carry out the identification of children and youth at risk) SPAShas the obligation to make a list of the locally existing resources including: (i) the list of potential partners at local and county level (institutions which can support SPAS); (ii) list of active services suppliers in the community; (iii) list of financial benefits and public or private services (social, educational, medical, legal etc.) available in the community.47The list of locally available services to be developed by SPASshould include at least: a. servicesfor preventingthe separation of the child from the parents, such as day care centers, counselling and support centers for parents etc.; b. education services, such as schools, high schools, ensuring school transportation, literacy classes, school mediators, parenting courses, circles and clubs for children, “school after school� programs etc., including the services provided by accredited non-governmental organizations etc.; c. medical services at community level, such as hospitals, clinics, family physician, community medical assistant, sanitary mediator, doctors offering family planning services, as well as the services offered by specialized non-governmental organizations etc.; d. services of legal information, such as procedures to establish the domicile or residence, procedures to establish the protection measures, procedures for utilities supply – access to gas, electricity, procedures to register the birth, procedures to obtain identity documents etc.; e. services for disabled children, such as the procedure to issue the disability certificate, services forhabilitation/rehabilitation etc.; f. other services, such as social canteen, shelters for domestic violence victims, pre-marital counselling for young couples, counselling offices for citizens etc. To support SPASs, the agreement between ANPDCA and the World Bank also provided for the achievement of some Maps of services in 35 source communities, included in the Output #4.48The methodology developed to this end is presented in detail in Output #4, but we resume below the elements that might be useful to local and county experts to meet the above-listed obligations, as provided in GD no. 691/2015, as well as to draw-up a development plan of community services. According to the methodology of the World Bank, to develop a map of services in the community (or an analysis of the existing local resources), administrative data have to be used and a survey based on interviews (or discussions) with the relevant institutional representatives. First of all, the commune should not be regarded in isolation, but as a part of a functional micro- area.49That is, a services development plan for a commune should consider not only the available services in the respective commune, but also the existing ones in its functional micro-area. By definition, the functional micro-area includes the selected commune and the accessible area on a 46The Services Plan includes the services to be provided in order to meet the identified needs of the child and of his family and the types of offered services and benefits provided, the goal pursued by implementing the plan, who offers the services and for what period of time. (GD no. 691/2015 art. 11) 47GD no. 691/2015 art. 9. 48 World Bank, June 2018. The data were collected by the World Bank team during February-March 2018. 49 In the research Map of services in 35 source communities, the World Bank team followed three steps to actually mark a functional micro-area for each selected community. In the first step, the research team developed an exhaustive list of localities (administrative territorial units and the related villages) neighboring the selected commune as a source community. In the second step, during the interview with the mayor, the vice mayor or the secretary of the mayor’s office of the source community, the exhaustive list of localities was discussed to identify those villages within the accessible area on a radius of approx. 30 minutes. Thus, the analysis was expanded from 35 source communities (with 172 villages) to 151 communes (with 477 villages), in rural micro-areas, respectively 30 towns and municipalities (with 83 component localities), in urban micro- area. (Output #4, June 2018). 28 radius of approx. 30 minutes by some of transportation or possibly by car. Thus, roads/access have to exist between the villages included in a functional micro-area, otherwise the existence of a social service in the micro-area is not relevant for the population in the selected source community. At the same time, it is useful to distinguish between the rural functional micro-area (villages in neighboring communes) and the urban one (villages or districts in theneighboring towns/municipalities). The research in 35 source communities showed that most communes had both a rural and an urban functional micro-area. However, there are communes which have only a rural or an urban functional micro-area.50 Secondly, as we speak about the field of child protection, the collaboration between SPASandDGASPCis vital. Therefore, to elaborate a development plan of the services for prevention and support for the families with children, the data collection with DGASPC. To prevent children’s separation from the family and to increase the success rate of reintegration of the children who are now in the protection system in the family of origin, SPAS obtain from DGASPC: i. The List of children in the special protection system (irrespective of the service) coming from community. For the families of such children, SPAS should mandatorily apply the Risks Identification Sheet to establish the family’s needs and to draw up, implement and monitor a services plan most adequately in order to increase the reintegration chances of the child or children already in the special protection system, as well as to prevent the separation of children who are still at home. ii. The List of family type services (PC and family foster care) which exist in the community. Although SPAS does not have specific responsibilities related to the special protection services, SPAS should be informed about the existence of such services at the level of the commune and should collaborate with the case managers of – DGASPC in charge with the welfare of the children placed in such services, for instance, as regards data updating, mediation of the relation with local institutions (school, doctor etc.). iii. The list of relevant services for children’s protection which are managed by DGASPC or with which DGASPC is collaborating and are present in the said commune, or in its functional micro-area. iv. The potential development plans of some services by DGASPC, either in the respective commune, or in its functional micro-area. Third, to make the inventory of all relevant services, SPAS should discuss with the institutions and organizations which can provide information, assistance or social services: school, attending physician, church and recognized cults, police, CCS representatives (Consultative Community Structure), non-governmental organization accredited in child’s protection or to any local player (informal group, charity group, associations of parents etc.) with initiatives in preventing the child’s separation from the family or the child’s protection etc. The data gathering activity could start from the commune and then, through the “snowball effect�, it could also cover th e functional micro-area. Fourth, just because the services in the social field are underdeveloped, especially in the rural area, the collected data should not be limited to the centers type of services, but should also include the interventions/activities type of services, as well as experts. Many times, the term “services� is construed as referring only to centers – day care centers, counselling centers, recovery centers etc. –that is, institutions with buildings, equipment, personnel and budget which usually provide a whole range of interventions/activities type of services. However, in many communes center is not needed to ensurethe access of vulnerable groups to services. Given the relatively small number of potential beneficiaries, in most rural localities there is no need, for instance, of a day care center, but of day services, not necessarily a counselling center, but counselling interventions/activities. And often, such interventions/activities can be provided by an expert from the commune, by a voluntary or by a mobile team coming from another locality. In addition, besides the relatively small number of potential beneficiaries, the insufficient local budgets make hard to ensure the sustainability of such centers. Therefore, a services development plan at the level of one commune, to be realistic, should consider all these types of services – centers, 50Out of the total 35 analyzed source communities, 25 have both rural and urban functional micro-areas, 9 have only a rural one and one commune has only one rural functional micro-area. 29 interventions/activities and experts. The Services List agreed by ANPDCAwhich was used in the research of the World Bank and which includes all these types of services is shown in Table 2. Finally, the purpose of community resources analysis is not only to identify the available services, but also to determine the required services, as well as to understand if the access of children and youth at risk from the commune can be assured to the services they need and which should be the activities conducted in this sense. The required information to this end include: (i) Services supplier (public, private); (ii) Is the service accredited or not?; (iii) Capacity of the service and, if possible, the number of available seats; (iv) Access procedure; (v) Data regarding the specific activities or programs organized within the service, mainly in case of day care centers, which are characterized by a large variety of provided services – which can offer (or not) a hot meal, support, homework assistance, counselling services etc.; (vi) Data regarding the general accessibility of the service, mainly in case of children with special educational or care needs (but not only for them); it is important to know if this service is physically accessible to any child, if it has alternative means of information and communication and if the personnel has a positive and respectful attitude to the child’s needs; (vii) The cost of service for beneficiaries; (viii) Daily timetable, wh ich is important to be known, mainly in case of a child with disabilities or chronical diseases, as the child’s personal rhythm has to be carefully observed; (ix) Means to gather such information to reach the respective service. An instrument which can be used to collect such information is shown in Annex 2 section A2.5. A final observation, the inventory of services and local resources should be updated by SPAS through face-to-face discussions or phone conversations with the suppliers every three months or whenever a significant change occurs (a new service is established, a service is closed or restructured). Ideally, an online software should be designed which would be used by all SPASat national level, so that by means of a tablet (or another device), the social assistance/SPAS could mark the position of each service on the locality’s map and the GPS coordinates could be automatically taken over. 30 Table 2: A list of services to be consideredthe analysis of community resources in the commune and in the functional micro-area SERVICES OF THE CENTER TYPE OF SERVICES TYPES OF EXPERTS INTERVENTION/ACTIVITY TYPE Social services of Social servicesof the center Public Social Welfare Service theinterventions/activities type (SPAS, DSA, DCA etc.) type Professional social worker (one Maternal center Parent education services or more) Other residential childcare Psychological counseling Person with social assistance services (ERC etc.) services responsibilities (one or more) Day care centers to support the child’s Speech therapy services integration/reintegration in the family Day care centers for the Kineto-therapy services School counsellor disabled child Day care centers for the Other development of independent habilitation/rehabilitation Itinerant and support teacher life skills services Centers for guiding, supervising and supporting the social reintegration of the child who Services to prevent abuse, Speech therapist has committed criminal neglect and exploitation offences and is not criminally liable Counseling centers for the Teacher for children with Counseling services to prevent abused, neglected, exploited special needs (other than the and combat domestic violence child speech therapist) Day counseling centers for support for parents and Assistance services for School mediator children/ pregnant women in aggressors difficulty Wheeled or social canteen Protected dwellings services Institutions for adults (CITO, CRRN, CIA, medical-social unit, Social economy enterprise Attending physician residential center for palliative care etc.) Day or night shelters Social housing services Nurse Prevention, Evaluation, Anti- Support for home renovation or Community medical assistant drug Counseling Centers fitting-up (CN) Rehabilitation centers for Legal aid services Sanitary mediator addictions Centers of therapeutic Others, namely: Speech therapist community type Educational services type Multifunctional centers/services Chiropractor interventions/ activities Integrated community service School counseling and guidance Occupational therapist centers services Professional/vocational Mobile teams counseling and guidance Community mediator or Others, namely: Educational support services facilitator 31 Consultative Community Structure - CCS (or Community Educational institutions After school services Consultative Council - CCC) functional Kindergarten Second chance program Policeman Skills assessment services for Volunteers for support services Primary school employment of families with children SERVICES OF THE CENTER TYPE SERVICES TYPES OF EXPERTS INTERVENTION/ACTIVITY TYPE Primary school with educational Counselling and mediation support services/integrated Other professionals, namely: services on labor market special education Job search support, including Lower-secondary school escorts Lower-secondary school with educational support Vocational training services for Support groups for children and services/integrated special adults families in vulnerable situations education Religious groups offering Activities of school sports club Special school support to children and families type, soccer team and the like in vulnerable situations High school Children's club-type activities Charity groups NGOs active in the child’s Technological high school Others, namely: protection field Medical services type Medical units interventions/ activities Permanent medical center Family planning services Sexual education services for Hospital, polyclinic young people Home care units for children Social ambulance Others, namely: Source: World Bank (June 2018) Output #4. 32 1.1.3. Identifying the services required in the community for preventing the separation from the family and for support for families with children The required services for the prevention of child’s separation from the family and support for the families with children are different from one commune to another, depending on the types and size of the groups of children at risk (section 1.1.1), as well as on the types and capacity of the available services in the commune and in its functional micro-area (section 1.1.2). Therefore, to determine the list of services to be developed in the community, a comparison is required between the needs analysis results with those of the community resources analysis, also considering the services DGASPCor other country or local players plan to establish in the future. Firstly, considering the specific conditions of the rural environment in Romania, there are three types of community services for children and families with children which have to be developed in most communes, mainly for children and families with children in poverty and material deprivation. • The first type of services refers to information, counselling, support in filling in the required documents and support in their relation to institutions as regards a wide range of topics, from getting the identity documents, to the registration with a physician, registration of a birth, utilities supply contracts, getting a scholarship or free school supplies, reintegration of former convicts, school dropout and how to resume education etc. • The second type of services are social and leisure services aiming that all children have access to books, toys, games and new technologies (computer and Internet), that parents cannot afford and neither do they know their value in stimulating children and which provide their proper development. In this regard, service development plans for communities in many developed countries focus on services provided through the local library and the “playroom� (suitably lighted and heated and equipped with games, toys and technology that can be used for free by all the children and young people. • The third type of services refer to awareness raising and parenting campaigns on issues such as family violence, child neglect, the value of education, health education and healthy behaviours for young people, financial education and saving techniques or active citizenship. Secondly, the size of groups at risk is considered. In case of small groups (below 15 children)51integrated solutions can be separately found through the plan of services for each child and family, finding solutions for the problems within the existing services in the commune and in its functional micro-area, possibly with the support of DGASPCor of other partners. For the groups of over 15 children in risk situations, the existing services could be developed, or new services could be established. • If the required service/services for the respective group of children already exist in the commune, the quality of the service has to be checked up, as well as if the service has the capacity and the number of available seats to receive new beneficiaries. If the service exists in the functional micro-zone, then it should be verified if there are available seats, if its characteristics are adequate to the children’s needs and a solution has to be found to assure their transport to that service. • If the required service/services for the respective group of children does not exist at the level of the commune or in its functional micro-area (or if it is present but does not have the capacity or the available seats to receive new beneficiaries, or the transport between the commune and the respective service cannot be ensured), then new services should be established. In that case, the commune can decide to act independently, or could look for partners to develop a new service in collaboration either with an NGO, or with other mayoralties in the vicinity. 51Recent community censuses in 30 source communities showed that, in general, a small group of less than 15 children corresponds to a number of less than 8 households. 33 Third, the relation between the groups at risk and services is a two-way one. That is, most groups at risk need a package of services and not only one and, at the same time, most services do not address a single group at risk, but many (Table 3). There are also cases in which the relationship is clear. For instance, if several teenagers with ages between 13-15 years outside the educational system are identified in the commune (as they are too old to be enrolled in school and too young for the program Youth Guarantee h), or the parents are illiterate, then “a second chance� class should be established in a school within the community or close to it, making available to the beneficiaries the transport to the respective school, where the case may be. 52Such examples could be: support teachers for disabled children outside the educational system or training courses or transport to such courses for young NEETD. 53 Table 3: Services to prevent separation of the child from the family and support for families with children, necessary for groups of children and young people in risk situations Risk situations related to ... Services ... 1. ECONOMIC SITUATION a & b & c1 • a careful analysis of the conditions under The family is in a situation of poverty which SPAS can provide these families with access to monetary benefits that can be Family in (monetary or extreme) poverty who is granted under the current legislation not receiving social benefits for poverty (MGW, • day centers/services, preferably alongside heating aid, emergency aid, social canteen, EU meal and hot food food aid) • psychological and legal counseling services The single supporting parent or both parents • vocational training services, job-search have no occupation or are unemployed assistance, including accompaniment, for young NEETD and for adults in the family 2. SOCIAL SITUATION a. An underage mother or pregnant minor • services of psychological counselling, sexual education, health assessment of mother/child, services of school counselling and orientation for the mother • counselling and support for birth registration and assurance of a legal representative for the baby b. Single parent families • after school services or at least support for children's homework • parental education services and emotional support for the single parent c&d • Single-parent supporter or both parents are • services of psychological counselling for the 52 The Ministry of Education offers “A second chance� courses and transportation for pupils, but within some “decentralized� programs. According to the methodology of the program “A second chance�, the minimum number of pupils to organize a class within the Program “A second chance� in primary education is of 12 pupils, but no more than 20. Educational institutions should assess the exact status of this type of need and address the County School Inspectorate to get the required advice to organize the program. The Ministry of Education gives the final approval, depending on the available funds. (Annex 1 to the Order no. 5248/31.08.2011 of the Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sports). 53 Neither employednor included in a form of education or training, nor with disabilities. 34 working in the country or abroad, and therefore child and caretaker are not at home or both parents are deceased, • services of school counselling and orientation unknown, or disqualified from parental rights, or have been applied criminal penalties of prohibition of parental rights, have been subject to a court order, missing or declared as dead in court, and no guardianship or, as the case may be, special protection measure have been decided f & k2 • in collaboration with DGASPC, services to maintain or improve the link between the The family has one or more children in the family and the separated child special protection system • support services for family reintegration (e.g. The family has one or more children support for home renovation or fitting-out, relinquished in hospital units access to day-care services/after-school type of services) g. The family has one or more children Taking into account the whole family reintegrated from the social protection system vulnerabilities, they can include centers/day care centers/recovery services, counseling services, or activities to facilitate integration into the labor market by providing counseling and vocational training services or services for returning to the education system h. The family has members with sensory, Depending on the type and degree of disability, neurological or intellectual disabilities that access to recovery services, psychological significantly limit their life quality and counseling and, where appropriate, physical participation in social life therapy, healthcare and/or home care services are required. It may be necessary for the collaboration and support of DGASPC or PHD to refer to specialized services. • aid for (adapted) transport to specialized services • support for the preparation of the documents needed to grant the degree of disability for children and young people • legal assistance services that will subsequently provide access to other benefits and services (monthly indemnity, monthly complementary personal budget, recovery/rehabilitation services, physical therapy services) i. At least one family member (including an • support for obtaining documents, especially adult) does not have civil status records for those living in improvised shelters on the public land j. The family has one or more members • psychological counseling activities for family sentenced to a custodial punishment members Local specialists mentioned as problematic • support in maintaining contact with the groups the children and young people deprived family member sentenced to a custodial of their freedom punishment 35 3. HEALTH STATUS a. The family has one or more members with • collaboration with a family MD and, if chronic and transmissible diseases necessary, support for enrollment in a national program or referral to specialized services, possibly in cooperation with DGASPC or PHD • aid for transport to specialized services b&c&d&e • support for enrolling all adults and children The family has one or more members, adults on the list of a family MD in collaboration (including pregnant women) or children with the community nurse, the nurse and the (including infants) who are not enrolled on a family MD. To this purpose, the support for family MD's list civil status records may also be necessary. f. The family has one or more children who are • child vaccination services. It may be not vaccinated necessary to provide parental education services and/or support to parents in registering with a family MD or in obtaining civil status documents. g. The family has one or more poly-hospitalized If the state of health is good, it may be children although they have no chronic and necessary to provide a day care center providing transmissible diseases intervention/ supervision activities and guidance or enrollment of children in after school type of services h1. The family has one or more children under 1 • Child vaccination services year of age facing health risks (children under 1 • child health assessment services through year of age, children under 6 months who are home visits by the family not exclusively breastfed, children over 6 MD/nurse/community nurse months and under 1 year of age who do not • services dedicated to parents: psychological have a suitably diversified diet, children under counseling, parental education and, where one year of age who are not in compliance with the development standards) appropriate, other services to prevent neglect It is possible that the local specialists will mention problematic groups and children aged between 1-10 years who are not in line with development standards. h2. In the family there is a pregnant woman • assessment services of health conditions with a pregnancy risk (pregnancy is not provided by the attending physician for the recorded by a family MD, the pregnant woman pregnant woman and referral to specialty did not go to prenatal checks or the pregnancy services for pre-birth controls and, if the was not desired) case, for family planning services • aid to ensure transportation to specialty services • family planning services 4. LEVEL OF EDUCATION a & b & c1 & i3 • enrollment in the “A second Chance� One or both parents are illiterate program. The form of organization (day courses, evening courses, combined and The family has one or more children of school intensive) of the educational process in this age (6-15 years of age) who do not attend program must be established after compulsory education 36 consultation with the adults enrolled in the The family has one or more children aged program. between 6 and 15 years who have dropped out of school • interventions/ activities provided by a school mediator The family has one or more children aged • vocational counselling between 10 and 15 years who have never been enrolled in school c2 &d & e & f & g • after school type of services in which they The family has one or more children aged have access to specialized support activities between 6 and 15 years at risk of dropping out (supervision and guidance with homework, of school recovery for students with cognitive, emotional difficulties, with speech disorders, The family has one or more children with low by means of remedial, counseling, speech school attendance or poor school performance therapy activities, by means of activities (with second examinations etc.) or repeating the school-year encouraging reading etc.) In addition, it is necessary to increase the attractiveness of The family has one or more children with a the educational system for these children, as history of punishment at school (expulsion, low well as to create thematic workshops and grade because of behaviour etc.) other recreational activities and/or various The family has a large number of children (3 or personal development activities (e.g. the more) aged for nursery/preschool/ school in the training for life kit in secondary education). family • interventions/activities such as children's club or school sports club • school counselling • interventions/activities provided by a school mediator • parental education and psychological counseling for parents h. The family has one or more children with • educational support services/specially special educational needs integrated education • itinerant/support teachers • support for enrollment in kindergarten or school • after-school type of services to have access to specialized support activities. In addition, to i1 & i2 increase the attractiveness of the education system for these children, it is necessary to The family has one or more pre-school children provide thematic workshops and other who have never been enrolled in kindergarten recreational activities and/or various The family has one or more children between 7 personal development activities (e.g. the and 9 years of age who have never been training for life kit in secondary education). enrolled in school 5. DWELLING CONDITIONS a & b1 • support to obtain identity documents, The family occupies abusively, without the right possibly temporary residence documents of residence, certain living spaces or illegally • social dwellings or with social character built premises included • if it is a marginalized area (maybe under construction), comprehensive assessment of The family lives in an improvised dwelling in total risks the children and youth in that areas not intended for this purpose - huts, water houses, sewers, degraded buildings, areaface and the development of integrated caves, shacks etc. services in that area by building up an intervention team made of, for instance, one 37 social assistant, a community nurse or a It is possible to also have mentioned as sanitary mediator, school mediator and problematic groups the children in homes affected by natural disasters (floods, landslides policeman etc.) • ensuring access to drinking water in the area c.The family does not have enough living space • support services for renovation or home relative to the number of persons; the dwelling improvement is overcrowded • counseling on the optimal use of space and techniques for negotiating conflicts resulting from insufficient space conditions d.The family has no access to utilities, • counseling, support in filling in the necessary especially to water sources and electricity documents and support in relation to the institutions regarding the supply contracts for utilities • assessing the costs of connecting households to water and electricity sources and identifying potential support (possibly on behalf of charitable groups) to cover these costs e&f • health and hygiene education for the adults The family does not have the minimum facilities in the household necessary for the preparation of food, heating • counselling on adequate hygiene maintenance and basic furniture with a correct child nutrition • support (maybe from donations) to ensure the The home is not maintained, lack of hygiene strictly necessary equipment • interventions/activities provided by a community nurse, health mediator or social worker (SPAS) g.The family lives in improper • support services for the renovation or fitting- conditions/encounters problems of home up of the dwelling security (leakage through the roof, wet walls, rotten/damaged windows or floors etc.) 6. RISK BEHAVIOUR a & b (b1, b2, b3) & e2 • counseling services for preventing and The family has a history of complaints combating domestic violence, in collaboration registered and confirmed by the local public with GDASCP and NGOs administration authorities or the police about • services for the prevention of abuse, neglect the anti-social behaviour of a family member, and exploitation such as criminal offenses, under aged used in • centers/counseling services for the abused, begging etc. neglected, exploited child In the family there is aggressive behaviour of • centers/services to guide, supervise and one or more members and/or a family history of support the social reintegration of the child violence, such as the existence of complaints or who has committed criminal offences and is of a protection order (including domestic not criminally liable violence or abuse, violence against children, • assistance services for aggressors, in neglect of children) collaboration with DGASPC, NGOs and local There are one or more teenagers in the family police with risk behaviours for substance abuse and • psychological counseling services violence • school counselling 38 c & d & e2 • centers/services for prevention, evaluation, Excessive alcohol is consumed in the family anti-drug counseling • referral to a specialized service (addiction The family consumes or there is a history of rehabilitation center, therapeutic community consumption or abuse of psychotropic center), eventually with the support of substances DGASPC, PHD, regional ANA center There are one or more teenagers in the family • aid for transport to specialized services with risk behaviours for substance abuse and violence e1.There are one or more teenagers in the • sexual education services for young people family who face the risk of sexual activity • family planning services • parental education for parents To decide on the most suited services for the groups of children and youth in risk situations of the commune, the following sections offer relevant information about various services as regards: (i) the type problem addressed by the respective service; (ii) the groups which it is addressed to; (iii) potential suppliers; (iv) service description; (v) the steps to be taken to establish the service; (vi) where could the money to finance the service come from; and (vii) possible risks and obstacles. 1.1.3.1. Social services This Section presents the main characteristics of 12 centre-type or intervention/activity-type social services, namely: 1. Day centres to support family (re)integration of children 2. Day centres for the development of independent living skills 3. Counselling centres for abused, neglected and exploited children (CCANEC) 4. Integrated community services centres (ICSC) 5. Itinerant teams 6. Legal advice centres 7. Parental education services 8. Services for disabled children 9. Services for to prevent abuse, neglect and exploitation 10. Services to guide, monitor and support the social reintegration of child offenders who are subject to criminal responsibility 11. Meals-on-wheels type or soup kitchen services 12. Home renovation or rehabilitation services 13. Other support services targeting adult members of the household, parents and prospective parents 1. Day centres to support family (re)integration of children Typical problem that the service is aiming to tackle: Lack of abilities and resources to provide the children with an environment conducive to harmonious development; Temporary/permanent lack of children supervision and care by parents/legal guardians; Risk of children’s separation from families in times of crises. Target groups: • Children at risk of separation from parents; • Children temporarily separated from parents and placed in the child care system; • Parents/legal guardians at risk of separation from the children in their care; • Parents/legal guardians temporarily separated from the children in their care. 39 Who could provide the service: SPAS/mayoralty in partnership with local NGOs and individuals who want to volunteer to develop the beneficiaries’ independent living skills. Service description: The day centre provides complementary care, socialisation and counselling services to the beneficiary children. It also delivers specific services to parents (e.g. counselling to improve the relationship with the child, parenting classes, support groups). The services provided to children are based on the needs identified before their admission to the centre. First and foremost, the centre ensures that children are supervised during the activities. An open space is created, based on cooperation and mutual trust between the centre staff and children. The activities performed with the children could include socialisation and assertive communication skills, school and vocational counselling, informal education activities and activities to develop independent living skills (money management, personal care and hygiene techniques, interacting skills etc.). The services provided to parents/legal guardians include child care counselling, classes to improve parenting knowledge and skills, legal advice and referral to other expert services requested by the adults. Furthermore, the centre staff can provide support and/or counselling for accessing the healthcare system, moving to a new house, finding a job or opportunities to increase income. At the same time, such a centre provides services for parents/legal guardians and children together, either at the centre or at home or in the community, depending on the needs. The extended family may be involved in the process, in particular when the parents/legal guardians need extra help to care for the child(ren). Also, food services may be provided, if the children or families have a nutrition deficit they cannot cover through their own efforts. Steps to establish the service in the community: • Carry out a needs analysis, as per the methodology in section 1.1.1, to identify the difficulties and obstacles confronting families with children in overcoming problems; Identify needs and resources to meet such the needs; • Carry out a community resources analysis, as per the methodology in section 1.1.2, to stocktake the preventive services and activities already afforded in the community and identify local NGOs interested to participate; • Identify the funding required to meet the needs and the experts required to develop the centre and programmes to be provided; • Identify premises for the centre and the steps required to accredit the service; • Develop criteria for the selection of beneficiaries, write operating rules and hours, as well as other documents required for providing social services in compliance with the law; • Inform potential beneficiaries and the community on the new service; • Contacts between the services provider, other partners and the beneficiaries, depending on the needs; • Deliver, monitor, evaluate and revise the services (eliminate activities that do not generate results or that generate obstacles and replace them with ones that generate positive results and impacts). Possible sources of funding: local budget, NGO funds, donations and sponsorships, grants, income generating events, asking for fees for activities implemented for the entire local community. Possible risks: • Creation of dependency The purpose of such a day centre is to provide the services listed above for a limited period of time. In fact, the services provided to a family need to be phased: identify difficulties, needs and resources; identify strategies to increase the family’s resilience whilst the centre provides services aimed at developing the skills needed by the parents/legal guardians to remove the issues that may cause the child’s separation from the family; cease services provision at the centre and continue counselling at home/in the community. Throughout the process, the staff works together with the 40 family to overcome the difficulties confronting it. Sometimes, the difficulties are caused by the social and economic background, and the existence of the centre is critical for parents (e.g. some parents work (quasi)informally and their income is insufficient to hire a child sitter when they are away at work). To prevent the dependency on the day centre, the parents may be requested to give a modest (yet symbolic) financial contribution or contribute in other way (e.g. accept to do community or centre service in exchange for the child’s participation at the centre for more than 12 months). Also, it is preferable that the centre staff be remunerated base on the number of solved cases. • Focusing on the provision of services to vulnerable families, at risk of social exclusion, where being a beneficiary may contribute to perpetuating marginalisation For the centre to be successful, the community must be motivated to participate in events, to take ownership of the centre and relate positively to it. Being developed in rural settings, the day centre may also play a role for the community. For instance, to incentivise social inclusion, it may provide arts classes (painting, photography, drawing, English, local crafts, folk dance etc.) where all the community children may be invited, in exchange for a monthly fee. To increase its income and visibility, the day centre could host community events (staging dramas, film projections, picnics, exhibitions, fetes etc.) where the sale of goods or sponsorships and donations may be encouraged. 2. Day centres for the development of independent living skills Typical problem that the service is aiming to tackle: Lack of or poor/insufficient development of knowledge and skills to live independently in the Romanian social and economic context. Target groups: • Children and young persons in child care (institutionalised) or at risk of separation from their family/legal guardians/caregivers; • Children temporarily or permanently deprived of family care. Who could provide the service: SPAS/mayoralty in partnership with local NGOs and persons who want to volunteer to develop the beneficiaries’ independent living skills. Service description: Depending on the community needs, a training programme can be provided to develop the skills of the participants. The programme may include a theoretical component (explaining the arguments, procedures and consequences) and a practical one (where the children and young can practice the activities previously discussed). If the need is on a small scale, SPAS may identify adults or other young persons in the community who could become mentors for the children and youths in need of developing living skills. Information/training sessions for mentors can be provided, teaching them how to transfer knowledge to the beneficiaries. This also involves monitoring the mentors and evaluating the children and youths’ knowledge (at the beginning, after a while and at the end) to note progress. Certainly, the two actions mentioned above can be implemented simultaneously: training can be provided to beneficiary children and youths and mentors, knowledge be practices, and then the beneficiary children and youths be allocated to a mentor, based on affinities. Moreover, to prevent the need for independent living skills, SPAS together with the school or another accredited provider may train the pupils in school, in citizenship classes or after school. Leaflets can be developed to be distributed in the community, and the social worker, when visiting households and the community, can identify children and young who could become beneficiaries of the service and invite them to attend the nest sessions. Another means for providing this service is for SPAS to build a database of persons who can be mentors and mediate between them and the beneficiaries. Steps to establish the service in the community: • Carry out the needs analysis, as per the methodology in Section 1.1.1; 41 • Carry out a community resources analysis, as per the methodology in Section 1.1.2, identify accredited services in the field and contact providers for exchange of experience, identify individuals/agencies/organisations to develop and deliver the course to children, youths and mentors; • Assess the current skills of the beneficiaries (which adults they appreciate/admire; who caters for their needs; what are their goals and living life strategies they see fit to meet such goals; what steps are they currently taking to meet their needs and overcome difficulties); • Train the mentors and develop a database of mentors to use as and when needed; • Enter partnerships with the school and deliver workshops/courses where the class and various experts discuss independent living skills. Possible sources of funding: local budget, sponsorship and donations, volunteer work by community members and/or experts in various fields, grants. Possible risks: • Relationship between mentor and mentee may not be one based on trust, thus not leading to positive outcomes This risk can be mitigated by connecting the two by a matching process, based on kinship and testing how they work together. Monitoring and evaluating outcomes is aimed at correcting behaviours that impact on the relationship. If dysfunctionalities are identified, the mentors are replaced. • Since they live in hardship, the children and youths may find it difficult to develop trust- based relationships with other persons, being disappointed if the mentor is late, does not have time to meet, is not actively listening, is not patient etc. The risk can be mitigated by including a description of the hardship confronting the children and youths and a module to develop relationship failure prevention skills in the mentoring courses. • The mentors may use the mentorship for their private advantage (e.g. ask the children/young to do their shopping or cleaning) or may abuse/assault them The risk can be mitigated by implementing a thorough process for the selection of mentors (interest, life experience, profession, neighbours’ recommendations, criminal record check etc.). The service provider’s constantly monitoring the process and developing a trust-based relationship with the children/young allows for the prevention and/or early detection of abuse cases. Moreover, in the service provider may include firm clauses discouraging and punishing abuse, aggression and bad treatment in the contracts made with the mentors. 3. Counselling centres for abused, neglected and exploited children (CCANEC) Typical problem that the service is aiming to tackle: Emotional difficulties, trauma and its consequences on the development of the capacity required to make changes and adapt to the living environment. Target groups: • Children from the community who are abused, neglected, exploited or subjected to any form of violence; • Children at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation; • The child’s guardian parent, caregiver (other than parents) or legal guardian who is not the perpetrator of the abuse, neglect or exploitation; • Such children’s family members, including the extended family; • The child’s parent, caregiver (other than parents) or legal guardi an who applies abusive methods and practices to discipline the child or the aggressor – the person prosecuted or convicted for abuse, neglect or exploitation. 42 Who could provide the service: A counselling centre for abused, neglected or exploited children should be positioned in an accessible location for all the community members, and be provided with sufficient financial and physical resources such as to allow it to operate permanently, at optimal yield in the community. Therefore, it is difficult to establish and maintain such as centre. The more modest solution, but with chances to generate a significant impact, is for the SPAS to become a hub of community information and awareness raising as to the issues of abused, neglected and exploited children. Service description: The beneficiaries can address directly this service whereby the community is informed and involved in dealing with abuse and exploitation cases. Victim children, but also the abusers, receive individual and/or group counselling from SPAS and DGASPC experts, with support from family doctors and community nurses. The child whose life is endangered by abuse, neglect or exploitation is urgently placed in a securing environment, by referring the case to DGASPC. Concurrently, the SPAS together with the police precinct put together a mechanism clearly determining the roles and responsibilities of the emergency intervention staff. The aggressors are afforded access to counselling to make them accountable and change their abusive behaviours and practices, aiming to prevent deviant behaviours, through the provision of a stimulating cooperation environment that temporarily replaces the family one that is deemed inadequate. The role of the information and awareness raising centre is to inform and involve the community in identifying and dealing with child abuse, neglect and exploitation cases. Furthermore, it can develop promotional materials for children, parents, professionals and other community members, as well as annual community information and education campaigns on child abuse, neglect and exploitation. Steps to establish the service in the community: • Identify potential local human and financial resources: social worker, person responsible for social assistance; • Train the social worker to work with abused/exploited persons; • Local agencies entering partnerships between themselves and with other county-level entities with relevant responsibilities; • Deliver, monitor, evaluate and revise the services (eliminate activities that do not generate results or that generate obstacles and replace them with ones that generate positive results and impacts). Possible sources of funding: local budget, donations, sponsorship, community programmes and projects in partnership with specialised NGOs. Possible risks: • Low involvement of local experts and their lack of training in specific issues of abused, neglected or exploited children This risk can be mitigated by such experts attending training sessions. • Poor knowledge of writing funding applications for programmes and projects. Most SPAS need assistance and support to write funding applications for developing social services. 4. Integrated community services centres (ICSC) Typical problem that the service is aiming to tackle: Limited access to basic community-based social, medical and educational services. Target groups: The entire community, especially vulnerable groups. Who could provide the service: A community team comprised of a social worker and community nurse is the core of the ICSC; the health and school mediators are positions of special importance in Roma communities. 43 ICSC may be the hub of activities focused on social inclusion in the community, bringing together and connecting with other local stakeholders, such as the school, community consultative committee, local civic organisations and groups, representatives of the church and other local cults, experts in connected fields such as housing, employment or entrepreneurship. Experts and entities from outside the community may, such as DGASPC or CAE, may periodically organise activities in the centre. Service description: ICSC may provide a wide range of services from various sectors, but with the main goal of increasing the social inclusion of vulnerable groups. Thus, an ICSC may provide: • Community medical assistance, to facilitate access to primary healthcare, as well as prevention activities; • Educational services: non-formal and life skills training, adult support and learning groups, remedial classes etc. • Labour market counselling and mediation, in cooperation with local and regional employers; • Legal advice to enable citizens to exercise their legal rights; • Counselling to improve living conditions; • Counselling for those interested in developing income-generating activities; • Community development activities, to involve citizens in local development; • Various social services, jointly with DGASPC. Steps to establish the service in the community: • Carry out the needs analysis, as per the methodology in Section 1.1.1; • Carry out a community resources analysis, as per the methodology in Section 1.1.2; • Provide the core team for the centre operation. Local public authorities (LPA) can apply to have certain positions funded from the central government’s budget, such as community nurse or health mediator; • Provide premises for activities, depending on the buildings available in the community. In the case of marginalised communities, it is recommended that the ICSCs be in their proximity; • Provide materials for operation and activities; • Depending on the complexity of the activities, accredit the services. ICSC can operate with or without juristic personality. Possible sources of funding: local budget, line ministries’ budgets for some expert positions such as the health mediator or community worker; European Funds: OPHC, ROP, NRDP; Norway Grants; RSDF; other international funding sources: small grants, donations, sponsorships. Funding may be provided in full from one source only or, considering the wide range of social inclusion activities that can be provided by the ICSCs, from several sources, depending on the specific activity. Possible risks: • Lack of qualified human resources to staff the centre and no such positions included in the local authorities’ organisation charts • The activities of the centre must be promoted in the community; the centre and itinerant services provided in the community must be complementary, in particular in the case of localities with communities located at significant distances from the ICSC building. 44 5. Mobile teams Typical problem that the service is aiming to tackle: Identify, monitor and evaluate risk situations, intervening directly in the community places where persons liver and/or interact with other members of the family and community. Target groups: • Single parent families with at least two children; • Families in monetary poverty and on welfare; • Numerous families, living in overcrowded houses; • Persons who are dependent or quasi-dependent on others’ help for daily needs. Who could provide the service: (a) local SPAS, (b) public or private accredited social services providers, (c) the social worker (or person with social work responsibilities) together with another expert such as (health mediator, nurse, teacher, community nurse, person in charge of the volunteer emergency service, psychologist, school counsellor) carry out weekly visits in the commune of villages to discuss with the locals. Service description: The role of the mobile team is to identify social risks and monitor and evaluate the social situation of the locals. The purpose is to prevent crises and child neglect or abuse. Existing local human and financial resources are used to set up the teams: social worker (or person with social work responsibilities) and other experts from the medical (doctor, family doctor, nurse, community nurse, orderly etc.) and educational (educator, teacher, school psychologist etc.) field. The job descriptions of some of the experts listed above already include the responsibility to carry out field visits. Based on the community needs analysis and following consultations with the potential beneficiaries, and other public and private local experts, the most pressing issues confronting the locals are defined, to be tackled over the following 6 months by the mobile team. Subsequently, the social worker proposes the experts responsible for the area in which issues have been identified to form field visit teams. Based on their agreement, all the persons interested in participating in the mobile team agree a method for distance communication (e.g. virtual group) and a day for monthly meetings. In the monthly meeting, they discuss the most difficult cases identified during the previous month, plan the current month and discuss any other issues, depending on the identified situations. The mobile team works at least 4 hours a week. In this time, the team visits certain families, walks through the commune of villages and talks to the locals and prepares a brief field report. Depending on the presence of NGOs in the commune of villages, the SPAS may enter partnerships with NGOs for carrying out the mobile team activities. Steps to establish the service in the community: • Carry out the needs analysis, as per the methodology in Section 1.1.1; • Carry out a community resources analysis, as per the methodology in Section 1.1.2; • Form the mobile team; • Depending on the distance between the villages of the commune, the local authorities provide the itinerant team with a vehicle and fuel; • Enter partnerships and identify volunteers in the community. Possible sources of funding: local budget, perhaps partnerships with NGOs. Possible risks: • Lack of relevant human resources in the community or their poor capability to identify needs and plan interventions in a participative manner 45 This risk can be mitigated by contacting the county branch (or the branch in the nearest county to the commune of villages) of the National College of Social Workers of Romania (NCSWR) and enter partnerships with it for the delivery of accredited training programmes, depending on the needs. • Certain local experts’ refusal to join the itinerant team The social worker can discuss talk to the identified resource persons and present to them the advantages of prevention work and the positive impacts that this activity can have on the community, proposing them to participate in some test activities, before refusing. Also, the SW can identify community members interested to participate in the itinerant team and develop their basic identification and information skills. On the other hand, the social worker can visit the community unaccompanied, but ask different experts to join him/her on specific days, depending on the needs. 6. Legal advice centres Typical problem that the service is aiming to tackle: Lack of an information framework required for the community members to acquire the knowledge needed to take the mandatory legal steps to ensure that their legitimate interests and rights provided for by law are respected. Target groups: Entire community Who could provide the service: SPAS in partnership with the consultative community structure, social worker and legal advisor of the local council. Other healthcare, education and security local authorities. Service description: On request, the local authorities’ legal advisors can provide pro bono legal advice to community parents in the field of adoption and on offences committed by juveniles who are not criminally responsible. The mayoralty legal advisor, together with the social worker, carries out information campaigns and develops brochures with information on safe migration and documents required for enrolling migrant children in schools in destination countries, such as to not disrupt or discontinue the education process. On designated premises, the social worker, with support from the health mediator, provides the community with information on the mandatory legal stages and steps for preparing the documents required for certifying the disability levels of children with a preliminary diagnosis. The social worker, together with the nurse, develops information brochures and materials and information campaigns on the legal steps required for new-born registration, for late registration and obtaining the birth certificate. The community nurse advises parents of children with serious mental disorders on the documents required for obtaining the disability level certification and on issues related to the supervision and care for such children, considering the special needs associated with their health status. The school mediator, in partnership with the social worker and the family doctor, provides expert advice to parents who are over tolerant of early marriage practices. The School mediator, working together with the legal advisor, carries out monthly information campaigns in schools on the risks taken by juvenile offenders who are not criminally responsible and on the consequences of special protection in the family being ordered. The experts of the community consultative structure provide counselling to community members on submitting cadastre documentation and taking the necessary steps to obtain property deeds over the land and buildings they live in. These documents are necessary for determining a place of residence and acquiring other rights for which property deeds are required. Steps to establish the service in the community: • Carry out a community information and counselling needs analysis in the social, medical and educational fields. Prioritise and initiate an action plan adapted to the community needs. 46 • Establish the team of local experts that can staff legal advice centres pro bono. • Enter local partnerships between entities responsible for community information. • Identify the physical, human and financial resources available in the community. • Monitor, evaluate and adapt the action plan. Possible sources of funding: local budget, international funding for improving ci tizens’ information and participation. Possible risks: • Lack of a legitimate interest of local experts to provide legal advice to the community. • Difficulties in understanding information received, in particular in the case of vulnerable, poorly educated communities. • Limited resources for printing information materials. 7. Parental education services Typical problem that the service is aiming to tackle: Lack of information and skills of caregivers to create a conducive environment for the harmonious development of children, with a view to preventing children’s separation from families. Target groups: • Natural and adoptive parents, persons with vocation to adopt or care for children; future parents; • Extended family; • Foster parents; • Children and young. Who could provide the service: SPAS, NGOs providers of social services, local church groups, paediatrician and/or family doctor, community nurse or midwife. Service description: The purpose of parent education services is to improve child rearing and human development information and skills. Parent education serves to ensure children’s integration in the family, harmonious development, and prevent separation from family. In partnership with the school, information campaigns can be delivered in civic culture classes and/or in existing local day centres. In partnership with medical and dental practices from the community, information brochures can be distributed, and specific advice can be provided to parents/caregivers and pregnant women. If at risk, pregnant women may be referred to SPAS. The priest (in the orthodox religion and/or his counterpart in other religions, depending on the target community) can convey messages on family rights and responsibilities. The social worker can discuss with the priest (pastor or other counterparts) to transmit key messages to couples to be married, given some confessions’ practice to provide pre-marital spiritual counselling. A bimonthly parents’ support group can be established, where parents may come together with their children to socialise (separate activities may be organised for children, allowing parents time to talk). The support group may include mothers or fathers only and deal with specific issues. In partnership with DGASPC, information sessions may be delivered for persons with potential/interest to adopt. Steps to establish the service in the community: • Carry out the needs analysis, as per the methodology in Section 1.1.1; • Carry out a community resources analysis, as per the methodology in Section 1.1.2; 47 • Partnerships formed by SPAS with DGASPC or other licensed providers of social services to deliver parent education classes; • Enter partnerships with other relevant social stakeholders in the commune of villages to distribute brochures, recommend beneficiaries to contact the social worker and convey key messages (to the extent to which such messages are congruent); • Train the social worker or other local experts in parent education; • Carry out direct activities with the target group; monitor and evaluate implemented activities. Possible sources of funding: local budget, partnerships with NGOs, grants, sponsorship, donations. Possible risks: • Difficulties in understanding conveyed information, in particular among vulnerable, poorly educated groups. • Conveyed messages are incongruous with the target group’s information/abilities/values; for this reason, the intervention requires time for mutual familiarisation and establishment of a trust-based relationship. • Key messages transmitted by the social worker are incongruous with the messages transmitted by other local formal and/or informal leaders. • The credibility of persons conveying messages is rather doubted by the locals, since it has been often noted that the promoters don’t put into practice the messages they uphold. 8. Services for disabled children Typical problem that the service is aiming to tackle: Non-acceptance, discrimination and disregard for the rights of disabled children. From this perspective, the issue becomes a challenge for the community to succeed in providing disabled children with optimal protection, participation and development conditions. The community SPAS may approach the process of recovering and rehabilitating disabled children by increasing their quality of life and social integration, through an integrated approach to the children’s needs, matching the two levels of their personalities: psychologic and social. The application of this model by all the local professionals with a role in the development of disabled children and in supporting their families may decisively contribute to increasing the social integration of such children. Target groups: • Disabled children from the community, disabled children in professional foster care, children with learning difficulties or speech impairment, as well as children with special education needs (CES); • Parents/legal guardians of disabled children. Who could provide the service: Considering the difficulties associated with establishing a local day centre for disabled children that meets the special requirements that such a service should meet in terms of infrastructure, equipment, financial and human resources, we believe that the SPAS may focus on a type of adapted service that, on the long term, is focused on improving the disabled children’s quality of life, support them to stay in the family and assist the social integration of children in difficulty. Service description: Since the disabled children and their families are confronted with complex problems and the physical and mental health of such children is influenced by multiple factors, cooperation is needed at all levels of the SPAS intervention, such as to meet the general and specific needs of the children and their families. 48 On a personal/individual level, direct support may be provided to disabled children and their families, both through specific medical and social services, and through family counselling by the family doctor, community nurse and social worker on the special care and supervision needs, rights of and specialised services available for disabled children. Partnerships may be formed with DGASPC to develop and disseminate information materials on the steps involved in obtaining and reviewing the disability level certification and free specialised rehabilitation therapy. On an interpersonal level, social support may be obtained for children and families’ identity awareness, based on the interaction with support groups comprised of class mates, extended family, friends and persons in the immediate vicinity. The SPAS may organise the establishment and management of such groups and any interaction methods. At community level, one first step for the social inclusion of disabled children can be taken in kindergarten and school, where teachers and peers help them to integrate in the society through extracurricular activities. Considering the limited resources available locally, it is necessary to systematise the groups of difficulties that the SPAS may tackle, thus: • Generic difficulties: 1. Mobility and movement difficulties, in the case of the physically disabled – can be mitigated by installing access ramps in all local public buildings. 2. Speech and communication difficulties, in the case of sensory disabilities – may be approached through partnerships with the CCERA, which can provide speech therapists. 3. Maintenance difficulties, in the case of persons without income and physical resources – may be tackled by crating work alternatives adapted to the individual occupational profile or financing family farming in mini-projects supported by specialised NGOs. • Professional difficulties: 1. Difficulties related to parents’ (caregivers) education and training of children with various levels and forms of disabilities – may be improved by the delivery of vocational training programmes and employment counselling with experts from the territorial labour inspectorate, as well as through family budget management training sessions delivered by the social worker or the person with social work responsibilities. 2. Difficulties in finding jobs nearby the home, which could allow flexible working hours, adapted to the extra needs of disabled children. • Psychologic and social difficulties: 1. Psychologic barriers that appear in the relationships between children with or without disabilities as a result of difficulties encountered in daily, professional or social activities and as result of prejudice or skewed perceptions as to the reduced capabilities of disabled children. Steps to establish the service in the community: • Carry out the needs analysis, as per the methodology in Section 1.1.1; • Carry out a community resources analysis, as per the methodology in Section 1.1.2; • Activate and empower the SPAS and social worker to carry out activities intended for this special category of children. • Forming partnerships between SPAS, DGASPC, CCERA and TLI or other social services providers licensed to deliver therapy, information and counselling; • Enter partnerships with other relevant stakeholders in the commune of villages to distribute brochures, recommend their beneficiaries to contact the social worker and convey key messages; • Carry out direct activities with the target group; monitor and evaluate implemented activities. Possible sources of funding: local budget, partnerships with NGOs, grants, sponsorship, donations. 49 Possible risks: • Total lack of local experts and low availability of county professionals to become involved in local activities. • Lack of financial resources required for implementing the activities and experts’ travelling from county to local level. • Parents do not understand the information on the special care and supervision needs of disabled children. This may be avoided by using language that is adapted to low understanding level. 9. Services for to prevent abuse, neglect and exploitation Typical problem that the service is aiming to tackle: Unhealthy attitude in the community to violence. Need to promote ZERO tolerance to any form of child abuse, exploitation and neglect. Target groups: • Children in the community who are or are at risk of being abused, exploited and neglected; • Families with a history of violence; • Numerous families, with low income and poor education. Who could provide the service: community consultative structure through its experts: police officer, school mediator, health mediator, community nurse, school principal, school counsellor. The SPAS and social worker (person responsible for social work), school and medical office through their representatives. Service description: The SPAS, in partnership with the police, establishes a mechanism to identify, report and record suspected and proven cases of abuse, exploitation and neglect in the community. The members of the SCC, in partnership with the police, have monthly meetings with members of the community, including child protection professionals, to raise their awareness as to the need for a prompt and targeted response to any child abuse, starting from presenting the consequences of violence on children. Develop and disseminate brochures with information on how to report suspected abuse, neglect and exploitation. The social worker and police officer monitor children victims and potential victims of abuse or neglect. Moreover, they distribute information materials intended in particular for parents, professionals and the entire community, to facilitate prompt, consistent, full and standardised referral of all violence and neglect cases, as well as the recording of such cases by type of violence, and children’s gender and age. The information materials for parents are meant to explain, give answers, present models and provide alternatives to violence on children, such as positive methods of disciplining. Information materials (posters, leaflets, stickers) with key messages on fighting all forms of violence may also be distributed in public places of the community. In partnership with the school, the social worker carries out activities with the parents in support groups, to facilitate the understanding of children’s needs and rights, recognising of violence against children, changing of attitudes on violence and the importance of reporting child abuse. The school mediator carries out extracurricular information activities for the children, to raise their awareness of their rights, as a method to prevent abuse and as a complement to the families’ endeavors and efforts, as resulting from parental and school obligations responsibilities, in a manner adapted to children’s understanding capacity. At the same time, the pupils, under the coordination of class masters, can stage show events about domestic violence, such as social performances or invisible theatre, in documentary or artistic style, based on anonymised stories collected in interview, reflecting the life of abused, neglected or exploited children. 50 In partnership with child protection NGOs, it is possible to test the introduction in schools of a mechanism for the referral of abuse, exploitation and neglect cases. Steps to establish the service in the community: • Identify potential local human and financial resources: social worker, person with social work responsibilities, police officers and other medical, social (family doctor, community nurse) and educational (class masters, school psychologist) experts. • Develop an action plan including all the activities decided in the community. • Train the social worker in working with delinquents. • Local agencies entering partnerships between themselves and with other county-level entities with relevant responsibilities. • Carry out the activities with the categories of persons included in the target group. Monitor and revise the locally decided action plan. Possible sources of funding: local budget, partnerships with NGOs, grants, sponsorship, donations. Possible risks: • The saying “spare the rod and spoil the child� continues to be accepted, translated into high tolerance of physical abuse against children. • Limited involvement and poor training of local experts in offending children’s issues. This risk can be mitigated by the experts’ participation in training delivered by specialised NGOs. • Lack of solutions to all identified problems; this may be mitigated by organising exchange of experience and best practice between local experts and the participation of county experts. • Lack of local financial, physical and human resources and poor knowledge of writing funding applications for programmes and projects that can complete the set of activities in the action plan. 10. Services to guide, monitor and support the social reintegration of child offenders who are subject to criminal responsibility Typical problem that the service is aiming to tackle: Lack of an adequate framework to support the development towards a responsible life of offending children who are not criminally responsible, and preventing deviant behaviours, by ensuring a motivating informational environment that supports the family environment deemed to be inadequate. Target groups: • Offending children who are not criminally responsible, offending children who are not criminally responsible in placement or in specialised family supervisor, children with behaviour disorders; • Natural, extended or substitutive family or other legal guardians, as applicable, of offending children who are not criminally responsible Who could provide the service: The service could be provided by the social worker or person with social work responsibilities from the SPAS or other local experts, such as the school mediator and the members of the community consultative structure (police officer, school principal). Service description: The service is aimed at the social and family reintegration of offending children who are not criminally responsible, as well as at preventing and fighting the perpetuation of children’s deviant behaviours. To this end, in partnership with the school and police, the SPAS may deliver information campaigns in schools to educate children for law abidance and raise their awareness as to the factors that could endanger their moral development. 51 In its monthly meetings, through the police representative, the community consultative structure may ensure the monitoring of children placed under specialised supervision in the family. Moreover, parenting support activities may be organised for parents whose children have been placed under specialised family supervision, in order to improve the child-parent relationship and support the children in their development of responsible and correct behaviour. Together with the school mediator, the social worker should provide monthly counselling and information to prevent and fight deviant actions or behaviours of children by their participation in civic culture and counselling classes. In partnership with CCERA, information activities should be provided on behavioural rehabilitation and school reintegration of offending children. The school and the probation service should deliver information campaigns and distribute brochures on the risks associated with deviant behaviours of children and criminal offenders. An educational psychologist may deliver joint activities for children and parents, aimed at improving communication, emotion management and conflict resolution skills in families with offending children. Steps to establish the service in the community: • Carry out the needs analysis, as per the methodology in Section 1.1.1; • Carry out a community resources analysis, as per the methodology in Section 1.1.2; • Local agencies entering partnerships between themselves and with other county-level entities with relevant responsibilities. • Mobilise experts from SPAS and SCC to identify and implement actions that may be carried out with and for the target group. • Carry out direct activities with the target group; monitor and evaluate implemented activities; monitor and evaluate the locally established action plan. Possible sources of funding: local budget, school budget, partnerships with NGOs, grants, sponsorship, donations. Possible risks: • Lack of local experts’ training in working with child offenders. • Limited interest of county experts to participate in joint activities with local authorities. Impossibility to provide financial incentives to the experts. These risks may be mitigated by training as many local and county experts to understand the social benefits associated with the social reintegration of offending children. 11. Meals-on-wheels type or soup kitchen services Typical problem that the service is aiming to tackle: Deficient diet of the underaged; Lack of financial resources to buy foodstuffs required for balanced nutrition; Remove the barriers that prevent easy access food for balanced nutrition. In general, sufficient produce is available to ensure that all the persons consume the quantity of foodstuffs they need. Nevertheless, persons exist who, for various reasons, have difficult access to foods (e.g. cannot afford to buy at market prices, certain products are not available in their proximity or cannot afford the transport etc.). The purpose of the service is to remove obstacles and allow the population living in difficulties to have a suitable diet. Thus, their working and concentration capacity will increase, they will stay healthy for longer, thus removing the potential pressure that inadequate nutrition puts on the social protection system. Target groups: • Families with two or more children with insufficient financial resources; 52 • Families with two or more children who do not own property that they use for generating income or farming; • Children from poor families or at risk of social exclusion; • Children in the care of adults who do not have the resources and/or the capacity to provide them with the quantity and quality of nutritious produce necessary for their age and activity; • Children at risk of school dropout, whose families cannot afford to feed them; • Persons who are homeless or live in spaces that are inadequate for cooking. Who could provide the service: SPAS/mayoralty in partnership with the school and catering companies/local restaurants/canteens (or located in the proximity of the area to be served); This service could be established in the locality, in particular where human resources (persons interested in qualifying as cooks) and premises that can be organised and accredited as required by law are available. Service description: The service can be developed by the local authorities together with the school and a partner that has licenced premises for cooking and selling cooked foods in the locality or vicinity. The partner can offer the foods as donation/sponsorship or at prices that cover production costs (as negotiated). The mayoralty can cover transportation costs from the production area to the distribution point. The SPAS and/or the school can distribute the food. Where ample needs are identified in the community, the SPAS may develop its own project. Steps to establish the service in the community: • Carry out the needs analysis, as per the methodology in Section 1.1.1. It is important to identify if it is necessary to set up a soup kitchen or a mobile service. • Carry out a community resources analysis, as per the methodology in Section 1.1.2. It is recommended for this analysis to reveal whether formally trained persons exist (cooks) or persons who are willing to train to work in the soup kitchen. Furthermore, if the local authorities have premises that can be developed as a soup kitchen, to identify potential suppliers of produce (e.g. farmers willing to sell meet and vegetables to the soup kitchen on regular/constant bases). Moreover, the analysis should see whether local business exist that are interested in contributing with sponsorships and donations. 1. In communes of villages where the infrastructure is in place (relatively low needs, restaurant owner is interested to contribute) it may be possible to just mediate between the two parties, to ensure that the foods are distributed to the needy. 2. In communes of villages where the infrastructure does not exist , it is necessary to identify the resources required to supplement the existing ones, for the purpose of meeting the needs identified in the initial analysis. Such resources may come from donations, sponsorships, grants, credits, local or non-local fund raisers. • Appointing the space and procuring/fitting the equipment required for operating. This can be organised as a local business, by motivating entrepreneurship among the locals who can make a by setting up in the food business with a social component, by providing free food to the people who cannot afford to buy them. Moreover, to cover the production costs, they may ask willing customers to support the cause by making a donation/financial contribution. For example, encourage customers to buy two portions and use the money for the second one to feed two more persons who cannot provide a balanced nutrition for themselves. Possible sources of funding: local budget, partnerships with NGOs, grants, sponsorship, donations. Possible risks: • If it is not organised as a public service, but in partnership with businesses, it is possible for the service provision to be inconstant. 53 In order to mitigate this risk, the partnership agreement will include a clause by which the provider commits that a set number of people will benefit every day and, if this is not possible, the products regularly supplied are replaced. For instance, instead of a hot meal they will offer a sandwich; at the same time, the provision is monitored. 12. Services for home improvement or refurbishing Typical problem that the service is aiming to tackle: Living conditions below the Romanian society’s standards in 2018; Absence of financial resources needed to hire specialists that would design and build a safe home for the family; Build a safe and comfortable environment, where children can develop harmoniously; Raise awareness and develop the skills in adults interested in how to build a house tailored to family’s needs. Target groups: • Families with at least 2 children, living in over-crowded places; • Families in monetary poverty, even if they might be working but the income is not enough; • People affected by natural disasters; • People at-risk of disasters, because they are exposed to hazards; Who could provide the service: SPAS/NGOs (providers or financial and/or material resources) in partnership with a company that builds houses (knowledge). The company will advise the family members that are physically able to build themselves the necessary rooms or do repair works; SPAS/Municipality in partnership with NGOs, such as Habitat for Humanity. Service description: Using funds from the local budget, from sponsorships/donations or from grants, the local authorities, together with the local NGOs, will provide financial and material resources to families in poor living conditions (unsafe, overcrowded, at-risk of disaster). Technical and operational support will be provided to families that receive construction materials, by concluding a partnership with a construction company or by using local knowledge, if in the locality there are people with building experience. The people doing the building, repair work, performing the labour are actually those receiving the materials and specialized advice. If the families cannot build/repair the houses alone, they can receive help from neighbors or other members in the locality. If the financial support/materials come from the local budget and have to be recovered, the materials/financial support provider can put in place contracts with funds reimbursement clauses by paying a monthly amount or by doing community work (for instance, help with the construction work for other families that don’t have enough labor force) or by keeping a good school -attendance rate. At the same time, if possible, families could also provide co-funding. Steps to establish the service in the community: • Conduct the needs assessment, according to the methodology in Section 1.1.1. It is important to see if there is the need to organize a kitchen soup/mobile service • Conduct an assessment of community resources, according to the methodology in Section 1.1.2.In this analysis it is important to identify potential partners, such as NGOs experienced in this field, other municipalities that have performed similar activities, local construction companies or from the county, interested to collaborate. • Assessing the land (cadaster), risks (environmental) and the living conditions (formal/semi- formal); • Setting the beneficiaries selection criteria; • Evaluating the documentation submitted by beneficiaries and selecting the families. • Starting the family advising process and developing the building plan. • Materials and/or financial resources are distributed depending on the construction phase; 54 • Constantly monitoring the process. • Concluding the process for current beneficiaries. • Continuing, depending on the needs, using the knowledge acquired by beneficiaries in the new project. Possible sources of funding:local budget, emergency aid fund, partnerships with NGOs, grants, sponsorships, donations. Possible risks: • Accidents incurred by the persons involved in building – can be limited by recommending them to work in teams, several neighbors at a time, complying with the formal rules; • Using the resources for other purposes than initially intended – can be limited by creating a continuous monitoring system; • Improper use of resources – specialized guidance can limit this risk; Generating tensions in the community, because the people feel that the resources allocation methods are unfair – can be limited through transparently and constantly communicating the selection criteria and clear messages; at the same time, it is important not to make any promises that could be discontinued. 13. Other types of social services targeting adult members of the household, parents and prospective parents These services aim at preventing the separation of children from their families through support dedicated to adult household members who may be facing risk behaviours, finding themselves in vulnerable situations, or they are parents or prospective parents considering to relinquish their child. Some of these services may be provided by the community team comprised of a social worker and community nurse, following dedicated training. However, as some of these services are specialized, the community team can support the identification of persons in need of the service and refer them to the relevant institutions. Other types of social services Family planning, sexual education and facilitating access to contraception ‘Asylum’ or protected accommodation for women in danger/shelters Support for trafficked young women Prison-based mother-and-baby/ family units Drug/alcohol addiction service Support for parents with psychiatric problems/ill health Support for families wishing to give up their baby/unwanted pregnancy Support for parents choosing to keep their child following consideration of relinquishment Helpline for pregnant women/mothers in difficulty Respite child care for struggling parents Source: *The University of Nottingham (2012). 1.1.3.2. Education services This section presents the main features of the education services for children at-risk, organized by level of education, as follows: 55 1. Services for preschoolers – kindergarten level 2. Services for school age children – primary and lower secondary 3. Services for teenagers of high school or vocational school age (under 18) 1. Services for preschoolers – kindergarten level Typical problem that the service is aiming to tackle: Ensure access to quality preschool education for at-risk children. There are localities where the total number of places available in kindergartens is not enough for the preschoolers in the locality or from the catchment area served by that kindergarten. The quality of preschool education services is poorer for children from vulnerable communities (for instance from the rural area, poor communities, Roma etc.) compared to the more developed ones – poorly prepared teaching staff, lower operating hours, running only until midday, insufficient endowments etc. The family support for participation in quality preschool education is lower –families facing poverty, poor educational background, long distances to the kindergarten, roads that cannot be used etc. Although GD no. 691/2015 in Annex 5 – Methodology, Art. 5 paragraph 4 letter B defines a child’s educational risk based on him/her not attending compulsory education – and currently preschool education is not compulsory –there is this trend in education policies of extending compulsory education even to preschool level54. Moreover, studies show that preschool education is tremendously important for an adult’s socio -economic status. Target groups: • At-risk preschool children and their families. A special category is that of institutionalized children or at-risk of being institutionalized for whom, precisely the fact that there is no access to kindergarten and the family cannot provide proper care could lead to them being institutionalized. Periodically attending kindergarten, in decent conditions, could serve as an argument to keep the child with his/her family. Who could provide the service: Local school in partnership with local public authorities, NGOs. Service description: As a general rule: it is better to focus on prevention measures, on sketching out the profile of a child at-risk of drop-out and on providing preventive support in view of fostering participation in preschool education. Develop the preschool education infrastructurein vulnerable communities, with a high share of at- risk children, to facilitate access to quality preschool services (spaces, appropriate facilities, extended working hours in the afternoon, including in the rural areas etc.). Increase the quality of preschool education –selection and training of teaching staff/educators, auxiliary staff, school mediator, facilitator etc. Teacher training services so that they can properly answer to the vulnerable children’s specific needs, creating a friendly school environment, using ITC in the practical activity, including managing the relation with vulnerable parents, stimulating the GRIT component in children’s personality etc. Parental counseling in view of stimulating children participation in kindergarten preschool education and correlating it to parents’ behavio ur at home –activities designed to stimulate the child’s cognitive development, such as story reading, using toys etc. 54See the Parliament’s legislative initiative from this year (2018), sent to the President of Romania for promulgation https://www.senat.ro/Legis/Lista.aspx?cod=21292.(11.04.2018). This is also a European trend; France, for instance, announced that the preschool education for children above 3 years old will become a compulsory step in child development, as of September 2019. https://www.euronews.com/2018/03/27/france-to-make-school-compulsory-from-the-age-of-three (11.04. 2018). 56 Parental education services –to improve the relation between the parent community and the kindergarten, understanding the idea of partnership between the two parties, organizing and managing the time spent by the child at home, as to boost their cognitive development – through playing, reading, creating a suitable environment, sources of cognitive development stimulation, child’s health management. Facilitate kindergarten participation, by compensating the difficult social context (free transport services, clothes, food, school supplies, age appropriate books, toys etc.) School management training services for the management in kindergarten or in the school that coordinates it – to attract additional necessary resources, to manage relation with local authorities, with the school inspectorate, private donors, managing and using data to prevent early school leaving and occurrence of negative school incidents – violence, bullying, school drop-out/early school leaving etc. In Roma communities it is necessary to introduce the position of Romani-speaking community facilitator/ school mediator – if this doesn’t exist already. Steps to establish the service in the community: • Conduct the needs assessment, according to the Methodology in Section 1.1.1. For families with children of preschool age that are not attending the nearby kindergartens, find the reasons why this is happening, in order to develop an effective service plan. • Conduct an assessment of community resources, according to the Methodology inSection 1.1.2. Special attention should be paid to preschool education services and their quality. • Develop an intervention project, submit it for funding and implementing it. Possible sources of funding: national budget, through national programs, local budget, European Funds, sponsorships, donations. Possible risks: • No will at LPA level; them declining to support these services. • Poor educational management performed bydecision-makers in the kindergarten/school • Low capacity to substantiate an intervention project, to submit a request for support to local stakeholders. • No priority given by the local community (usually represented by its elite, not by those at- risk) for this kind of intervention. 2. Services for school age children – primary and lower secondary Typical problem that the service is aiming to tackle: High risk of drop-out/early school leaving, respectively poor learning outcomes for at-risk children of school age (in primary and lower secondary). At-risk children have a higher risk of school drop-out or early school leaving. Romania continues to have a very high ESL rate, of 18.1% in 2017, 2 nd after Spain (18.3).55What is even more serious is the fact that there are striking differences between the rural and the urban areas – for boys, the difference between the ESL in the rural area and that in the urban areas is the highest in EU: 28 versus 3.6.56 School vulnerability is higher for children in the rural area, as well as for other categories of children, such as those coming from poorly educated families (illiterates etc.), subject to discrimination and associated phenomena ( like school segregation, extreme forms of discrimination), from poor families that cannot ensure the bare necessities (housing, health, transport, food/clothes etc) needed to attend school in suitable conditions. 55http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=edat_lfse_14&lang=en (7.11.2018) 56European Commission (2018: 35). 57 By not attending school or having poor learning outcomes, the at-risk situation is afterwards perpetuated throughout one’s life. Target group: • Vulnerable children at-risk of dropping out/having poor learning outcomes because of risk- related situations – economic, social, health, education level, housing, risky behaviours. Thus, the categories of children for which the risk situation is making them prone to drop- out or poor school outcomes include those kids that usually come from the following households: (i) facing economic distress – poverty, unemployed parents, parents on welfare; (ii) single-parent families, underaged mothers, parents who are abroad, so not living with the child or families where the parents are not acting as caretakers; (iii) where at least one parent is illiterate or has not completed lower secondary education; (iv) with poor living conditions (overcrowded, no access to utilities, no facilities that would create an environment that fosters learning and doing homework); (v) in which at least one member has an inappropriate behaviour (criminal, domestic violence, alcohol or substance abuse etc.). Who could provide the service: The school, through its staff or contracted experts, together with the local public authorities or representatives of other specialized public services (for instance, doctors in the school medical centers). In this respect, the school can actually sign partnerships with other public or non-government institutions. Services description: As a general rule: it is better to focus on prevention measures, on sketching out the profile of a child at-risk of drop-out and on providing preventive support in view of fighting school drop-out. Services designed to compensate the at-risk situation, tailored to the child needs, so that school participation and the educational process are not harmed. This is a way of promoting education equity and an inclusive school environment. These services could be shaped as follows: • Free of charge �School after school� services –necessary to make up for the socio-economic difficulties at home, for the absence of education support at home, doing homework in school, if at home the child does not have the appropriate conditions. • School counseling and psychological guidance services (by involving the school psychologist, the school counselor, the school mediator) if needed, so that school motivation increases and for the school environment to become a friendly one, attractive for children at-risk of drop-out (including the identification of causes leading to the drop-out risk). • Parental education and counseling, to improve the family situation and support for the education process, including social assistance services by involving the local social worker. • Intensive educational support – free tutoring organized in school for those subjects where the child is facing difficulties. • Free of charge support services, in the medical center in school, to prevent catching diseases (vaccination, hygiene management etc.) and treating diseases or other conditions incompatible with school participation (parasites, viruses etc.). Teacher training services so that they can properly answer to the vulnerable children’s specific needs, creating a friendly school environment, using ITC in the practical activity, including managing the relation with vulnerable parents, stimulating the GRIT component in children’s personality etc. School management training services for the school management – to attract additional necessary resources, to manage relation with local authorities, with the school inspectorate, private donors, managing and using data to prevent early school leaving and occurrence of negative school incidents – violence, bullying, school drop-out/early school leaving etc. In Roma communities it is necessary to introduce the position of Romani-speaking community facilitator/ school mediator – if this doesn’t exist already- involved especially in primary education. Steps to establish the service in the community: 58 • Evaluate the at-risk situation fostering school drop-out/early school leaving or poor learning outcomes – specific for the region/ locality/ community/ school, respectively identifying the best interventions; • Identify funding sources that could support these services/interventions – local budget, national programs, European funding lines, private donors, reorganizing the existing public resources. Possible sources of funding: national budget, through the national programs, local budget, European funds, sponsorships, donations. Possible risks: • No will at LPA level; them declining to support these services. • Poor educational management performed by decision-makers in schools. • Low capacity to substantiate an intervention project, to submit a request for support to local stakeholders. • No priority given by the local community (usually represented by its elite, not by those at- risk) for this kind of intervention. • No interest expressed by the beneficiary families; them leaving the locality – for a short term or forever. 3. Services for teenagers of high school or professional school age (under 18) Typical problem that the service is aiming to tackle: School drop-out after graduating lower secondary education, while in high school, sometimes without completing the 10-grade compulsory education, among at-risk teenagers. The very high early school leaving rate (ESL) 57in Romania can be explained, to some extent, by the school drop-out after completing lower secondary education. Teenagers in the rural area are more vulnerable to ESL in high school (because of specific challenges, such as commuting to school, adapting to a new, less familiar school environment, higher education standards in the urban area, where high schools are located etc.): in Romania, the ESL rate in the rural area is of 27.1%, compared to 17.5% in small towns and average-density suburbs, and only 4.5% in big towns..58 Young people in at-risk situations are even more vulnerable to become early school leavers – poverty or bad health add to the difficulties associated to attending a high school outside the locality, just as the absence of family support or the need to earn money to survive. In this vulnerability context specific for at-risk teenagers, high school becomes a side activity for them. Target groups: • Teenagers at risk of high school drop-out, vulnerable from a socio-economic perspective, mainly from the rural area but not only, with a high risk of ESL. The categories of teenagersfor which the risk situation is making them prone to high school ESL usually come from the following households: (i) facing economic distress – poverty, unemployed parents, parents on welfare; (ii) single-parent families, underaged mothers, parents who are abroad, so not living with the child or families where the parents are not acting as caretakers; (iii) where at least one parent is illiterate or has not completed lower secondary education; (iv) with poor living conditions (overcrowded, no access to utilities, no facilities that would create an environment that fosters learning and doing homework); (v) in which at least one member has an inappropriate behaviour (criminal, domestic violence, alcohol or substance abuse etc.). 57Defined as per EUROSTAT: young people of 18-24 years old, that have completed lower education, at the best, and in the 4 weeks prior to recording their status they are not enrolled in any type of education or training. Consequently, a young person that has completed compulsory education (10 grades, according to the Romanian legislation) is no longer an early school leaver, although he/she has not completed the 11th and 12th grades. 58http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/submitViewTableAction.do (8.11.2018) 59 Who could provide the service: The school, through its staff or contracted experts, together with other local or national public authorities or non-government organizations. Local public authorities; here, the social worker plays a key part. School management training services for the school management – to attract additional necessary resources, to manage relation with local authorities, with the school inspectorate, private donors, managing and using data to prevent early school leaving and occurrence of negative school incidents – violence, bullying, school drop-out/early school leaving etc. These services could also be provided through the voluntary involvement or support of other young people, sensitive to this problem (students etc.) Service description: As a general rule: it is better to focus on prevention measures, on sketching out the profile of a child at-risk of drop-out and on providing preventive support in view of fighting school drop-out. Support services for eliminating or mitigating the risk factors exposing teenagers to ESL while in high school. These services could be the following (however, they need to be tailored to needs specific for the area, community, household where the teenager lives): • School and psychological counseling, to identify teenager-specific needs, difficulties in adjusting to high school and solutions to overcome them. • Mentorship and professional/career guidance. • Granting social/education scholarships, to make up for the negative effects of the poor living conditions. • Free transportation from the locality where they love to the high school where they are enrolled (thus eliminating an inequality between teenagers in the rural are and those in the urban –the first, apart from usually being poorer, have to also add the transport/commuting to the high school education). • Intensive educational support/free tutoring for teenagers from vulnerable environments. • Organizing extracurricular activities, support groups/network development initiatives or other cultural and volunteering activities that could include vulnerable teenagers, in order to make it easier for them to get used to the urban school context. • Support services to stay healthy – periodic, free of charge medical and dentist checks, so that the school path is not affected in any way. Steps to establish the service in the community: • Assessing the risk situation that predisposes or significantly influences the ESL risk in high school – specific for the region/locality/community/school, respectively identifying the best interventions, services • Identifying funding sources or support methods to provide appropriate services/interventions – local authorities’ budget, national programs, European funding lines, private donors, reorganizing the existing public resources. • Developing initiatives and intervention projects, submitting them for funding and implementing them. Possible sources of funding:national budget, through the national programs, local budget, European funds, sponsorships, donations. Possible risks: • No will at LPA level; them declining to support these services. • Poor educational management performed by decision-makers in schools. • Low capacity to substantiate an intervention project, to submit a request for support to local stakeholders. 60 • No priority given by the local community (usually represented by its elite, not by those at- risk) for this kind of intervention. • No interest expressed by the beneficiary families; them leaving the locality – for a short term or forever. 1.1.3.3. Medical services Community medical assistance According to the EMERGENCY ORDINANCE no.162 of November 12th, 2008, regarding the transfer of assignments and competences exerted by the Ministry of Public Health towards the authorities of the local public administration, the community medical assistance includes the assembly of activities and health services granted in an integrated system with the social services at community level, to solve the medical and social problems of the individual, in view of maintaining his own life environment. According to the EMERGENCY ORDINANCE no.18 of 2017, the community medical assistance includes the assembly of health programs, health services and actions of public health provided at community level in view of increasing the access of the population and, mainly of vulnerable groups, including those of Roma ethnicity, to health services, especially to those focused on prevention. Thepurpose of the community medical assistance is to reduce the inequalities related to the access of the members of disadvantaged communities to public health services and to improve the health condition at community level. The objectives of the community medical assistance program are: Improvement of population’s health condition by promoting a healthy living style; Combating at community level the main risk factors associated to diseases; Active identification of medico-social problems of the community and of individuals, with a focus on vulnerable individuals and families; Facilitating the access mainly of the vulnerable population to health and social services; Improving the access of the vulnerable population to preventive medical services and treatments based on the principles of non-discrimination and equal opportunities; Promoting attitudes and behaviours favoring a healthy life style; Increasing the level of training of the members of vulnerable communities in what concerns the risk factors associated to diseases; Participation in the implementation of public health programs, projects, actions and interventions adjusted to the community’s needs, mainly to persons from vulnerable groups; Providing health services within the limit of legal professional competences of the personnel in the field. The community medical assistance servicesrepresent an innovating model of providing services right at communities’ level, a model which meets the complex health needs of persons from vulnerable groups. Thus, the community medical assistance services aim at reducing inequalities as regards the health condition by addressing the main factors leading to such inequalities: • identification of behaviour at risk and educating the population for a behavioural change focused on health, • offering support at community level to maintain behavioural changes, • designing models of social support for vulnerable persons by warning them on the existing needs, • empowering vulnerable persons to access the health services they need, • warning and involving the authorities in actions leading to the improvement of services granted to vulnerable groups. 61 Advantages of a community benefitting from community medical assistance • Reduction of risks associated to diseases for the members of vulnerable communities due to the lack of sanitary education; • Identification and efficient control of disease sources which can affect the members of vulnerable communities; • Reduction of inequalities as regards the access of the members of vulnerable communities to public health services and improvement of the health condition at community level; • Reduction of vulnerabilities within the members of local community by identifying the possible special situations which could affect the health safety of citizens; • Raising the awareness of the vulnerable population about the need to change their behaviour towards their own health by promoting a healthy life style and environment; • Increase of the number of persons within the vulnerable population who are medically insured and enlisted with attending physicians; • Permanent contact of local authority with the members of vulnerable communities and early identification of socio-medical issues which might cause prejudices at local level, both within the community, and at the level of the local authority; • Increasing the opportunity to develop the human capital from some communities characterized by the presence of social risk factors for the health condition. The beneficiaries of services and activities of community medical assistance are members of a community within a defined geographical area, such as: the county, town, commune, village, as the case may be, and especially the categories of vulnerable persons. Services of community medical assistance are provided by the • sanitary mediator and • community medical assistant. Sanitary mediator is a social workerhaving the role to facilitate the communication between the members of vulnerable communities and the Roma and medico-social staff, in view of increasing the efficiency of public health interventions and addressability and accessibility to health and medico-social services, according to the occupational standard of the National Authority for Qualifications.59 59The assignments and responsibilities of the sanitary mediator include: (a) to cultivate mutual trust between local public authorities and the community he is part of and to facilitate communication between the community members and medico-social personnel servicing the community. (b) To inform, educate and make aware the community members about maintaining a healthy life style. Plans and implements sessions of group education to promote a healthy life style. (c) Maps the serviced community population and identifies health and social issues of the community members. (d) Notifies in writing the competent authorities about identified problems and collaborates with them to find a solution (e.g. outbreaks of communicable diseases, parasitosis, intoxications, problems of water hygiene, cases of children’s relinquishment, special social cases etc.). (e) Facilitates the access of serviced community members to health and medico-social services (f) Supports the persons in the serviced community to obtain identity documents (g) Mobilizes the serviced community members to public health actions (vaccination campaigns, identification of communicable diseases (mainly tuberculosis), chronical diseases, IEC campaigns etc. Explains the role and purpose of such actions (h) Maps the fertile women, pregnant women and women that just gave birth in view of taking regular pre and post birth medical checkups. Explains the basic notions and advantages of family planning fit for the cultural/traditional system of the communities he is serving. (i) Identifies pregnant women and newly-born infants in the community and follows up their enlisting with the attending physician to have their health monitored (j) Maps the children, with special focus on children of 0-5 years old in the served community to monitor their regular medical checkups, vaccination campaigns, enlisting with attending physicians etc. (k) Promotes healthy food, especially with children (l) Explains the advantages of personal hygiene, of the house, water sources and sanitation, promotes hygiene measures imposed by competent authorities (m) Upon the request of medical staff and under their strict guidance, explains the role of the prescribed medicine treatment, its possible adverse reactions and supervises drugs administration (e.g.: patient’s treatment direc tly observed (DOTS) in 62 The sanitary mediator does not have the right to conduct medical treatments, but assures the communication between the members of vulnerable communities with Roma and the competent medico-social staff. The sanitary mediator works in vulnerable communities with Roma having between 500 and 700 Roma persons (children, adults, elders), the figure recognized by local authority based on hetero-identification method. The exception is represented by the traditional Roma communities, where the number of beneficiaries could be lower than 500 persons. In such a case, based on a report drafted by the social service within the local authority or by an attending physician specifying the risk of diseases the community members are exposed to, the local authority can request PHD to approve a position of sanitary mediator. Thecommunitymedical assistant offers education regarding health, notification, monitoring and management of cases, basic preventive medical assistance and home visits in the specific communities. They also offer assistance and support to persons and families in view of ensuring their access to the social and health services system, grant, subordinated to the physicians, medical examinations for diagnose and preventive care or treatment; grant specialty consultations – in collectivities and individually – as regards hygiene, diet and take other preventive medical measures. The community medical assistant contributes to the general health condition of the individual, of the family and of the community by granting care aimed at promoting health, diseases prevention and home care for the sick persons. At the same time, besides the briefly listed care above, the community medical assistant involves the individuals, families and communities in their own care and in making them responsible for their health; he represents, at various health- related decision-making levels, the cared for persons, their needs and steps in to help the recognition of their rights; he collaborates as a member of a multi-disciplinary team, but also with other organizations – governmental and non-governmental working for the health of those cared for; he ensures the quality of granted care by complying with the standards of education and clinical practice and of the quality of life of the individuals, families and communities he is responsible for. Selection, training and hiring the community medical team The authorities of the local public administration are in charge of hiring the community medical team, as follows: based on an initial application made by the representatives of vulnerable communities, including Roma (non-governmental organization, formal or informal leaders), explaining the necessity of a sanitary mediator’s intervention, the representatives of local authorities will draft a needs report and a draft decision of the local council which should approve the amendment of the organizational chart and introduce the position of sanitary mediator in the social department. After this action, the local authority informs the Prefect’ s Institution about this change and asks the technical assistance of PHD in requesting the required budget of sanitary mediation operation. The number of positions on which sanitary mediators and community medical assistance can be hired are financed through the health programs of the Ministry of Health or, irrespective of the funding, can be exempted from the maximum number of job provided in LPA organizational chart, according to GD no. 459/2010-for the approval of the standard cost per year for services granted in medico-social assistance units and some regulatory documents regarding the personnel in the medico-social assistance units and the personnel conducting community medical assistance activities, subsequently amended. The jobs of sanitary mediator and community medical assistant are filled in by contest, according to GD no. 286/2011, art. 8. para. 1 for the approval of the Framework Regulation regarding the setting up of general principles for the occupation of a vacant job corresponding to the contractual case of tuberculosis). (n) Facilitates the first aid granting by announcing the medical staff/ambulance service and by accompanying the teams providing emergency medical assistance. (o) Explains the advantages of including the persons in the health insurance system, the process through which the quality of medically insured can be obtained and supports the persons in the serviced community in the process of getting the quality of medically insured and of listing up with the attending physician. (p) Notifies in writing the Public Health Divisions of the County and of Bucharest Municipality, as well as other competent bodies/authorities about the identified issues regarding the access of the serviced community members to health and medico- social services. (q) Guides the persons in distress through the process of getting the quality of socially assisted person. Supports the service of social assistance in the assessment of eligibility of social services beneficiaries. (r) Supports the medical staff working in education unit in the monitoring process of pupils’ health condition. Facilitates the communication between school medical staff and the parents. 63 positions and the promotion criteria, to Ord. no. 154/2012, art. 7, regarding the Regulation for the organization and performance of the promotion examination in professional ranks or levels and to the Order no. 946/2005 of the Ministry of Finance regarding the hiring of contractual personnel through the units in each county territorial administrative area. The criteria that have to be met by the candidates applying for the position of sanitary mediator during the hiring contest are: To have their domicile within the locality where they will conduct their activity. To belong to the community, to have ethical and moral qualities recognized by the community they are part of, to know the culture and traditions of the community members they are servicing. Minimum educational requirements: (10 grades) according to GD no. 129/2000 regarding adults professional training, republished, art. 8, “professional competence represents the capacity to achieve the required activities at the job at the quality specified in the occupational standard�. To graduate a training course in the field of sanitary mediator, recognized by the National Qualifications Authority (ANC).60 The criteria the candidates to the position of sanitary mediator have to meet in the hiring contest are: sanitary high school, sanitary post high school studies or long- or short-term university education of medical assistance. During the contest organization process, the local authorities have to collaborate with the county PHD which are bound to make available to the candidates the contest topics, to elaborate the contest subjects and to delegate a member in the candidates’ selection commission. The sanitary mediator and the community medical assistant are hired by an individual labor agreement for an undetermined period of time in the social department within the authorities of the local public administration. The sanitary mediator is hired through a labor agreement for an undetermined period of time in the social department within the local public administration authorities, according to the legislation in force. In case the Ministry of Health does not finance the jobs of sanitary mediator and the budget of the local authorities does not allow the salary financing to continue, the local authority can terminate the labor agreement, according to the legislation in force. The basic salary and the other salary rights of the sanitary mediator and the community medical assistant are established according to the Framework Law no. 284/2010 regarding unitary salaries of the personnel paid from public funds, subsequently amended and supplemented. The technical and methodological coordination is ensured by the Ministry of Health through the County PHDs and the National Institute of Public Health (Unit of Technical Assistance, Monitoring and Assessment -UATME). The funding the specific expenses of community medical assistance is ensured from the budget of the Ministry of Health, through funds allocated to the program implementation, according to the legislation in force. The deliberative authorities of the local public administration, upon the proposal of executive authorities, can approve the supplementation from the own local budget of the financing of personnel expenses for the categories provided by art. 8 para. (2) and can approve the hiring of other categories of personnel which provide, according to the law, medical, social and educational services, as the case may be, ensuring the funding of such expenses from the respective local budget. The authorities of the local public administration must make available the space, as well as the goods and services required for the maintenance and operation of the community medical assistance activity, according to the law and within the limits of the existing human and financial resources, according to GEO 18/2017. 60The training program as sanitary mediator includes courses of theoretical training organized in a formal training framework and on the job training, a process coordinated by the accredited supplier of professional training. At the end of the training process, the trainee is assessed according to the ANC norms and, depending on the assessment, he/she will receive a diploma of sanitary mediator. The training topics as sanitary mediator include communication notions, aspects related to the medical system operation as regards the population’s access to the preventive services and to treatment, the way to enlist in the health insurances system, notions of first aid, according to regulations regarding civic education in the field, notions about the rights and obligations of the patients, notions about equal opportunities and discrimination prevention, traditions and Roma culture, methods and working techniques in sanitary mediation field. 64 The transfer of financial resources required to the sanitary mediator operation is conducted from the Ministry of Health to the budget of the authorities of local public administration based on a written request from the LPA and of a needs report, advised by the County PHDs. The procedures to get the funding of a job or the supplementation of the number of jobs for sanitary mediator/community medical assistance at the level of local authority for the communities with Roma persons in socio-sanitary precarious conditions include the following steps: a. Identification of the availability to hire a sanitary mediator/community medical assistant in the organizational chart; b. Approval by the local authority (opportunity justification) to include the job; c. Verifying if the funds are available at the level of the mayoralty; d. A letter (opportunity justification) to PHD requesting the allocation of funds; e. PHD requests from the Ministry of Health to allocate additional funds for sanitary mediation in the county, if it is regarded as justified; f. Depending on PHD’s answer, the local authority transmits or not the request to the Ministry of Health to allocate additional funds for the job payment (or for additional jobs) of sanitary mediator/community medical assistant; g. the Ministry of Health approves the funds supplementation and distribution to PHD as requested and then to the local authority. 1.1.4. Community services development plan to prevent the separation of children from families The current legislation distinguishes in planning social services between two main planning documents: (i) The development strategy of social services and (ii) The annual action plan regarding the managed and funded social services. 61 As a general working model, of great use is the Strategic Planning Manual (2009) developed by the General Secretariat of the Government. 62 We give below a few action recommendations excerpted from this Manual and exemplified with fragments of the development strategies of social services drafted at the level of communes. 63 The legal framework provides for the following mandatory elements in planning the two strategical documents: (A) The development strategy of social services should include at least: 64 • general and specific objectives • strategy implementation plan • responsibilities and achievement deadlines • funding sources and estimated budget (B) The annual ActionPlan should include detailed data regarding: 65 • number and categories of beneficiaries • existing social services 61Law of social assistance no. 292/2011, as subsequently amended and supplemented, Government Decision no. 797/2017 for the approval of framework regulations on the organization and operation of public services of social assistance and of the indicative personnel structure and Order no.1086/2018 of February 20 th, 2018, regarding the approval of the framework model of the annual Action plan regarding the social services managed and funded from the budget of county council/local council/General Council of Bucharest Municipality. 62 Available at: http://sgg.gov.ro/docs/File/UPP/doc/manual-planificare-strategica.pdf. 63 County Council Gorj published a model of development strategy of social services which was later used by several local public authorities in the rural area. (www.cjgorj.ro) 64 GD 797/2017, Annex 3, Art. 4. 65 GD 797/2017, Annex 3, Art. 5. 65 • proposed social services to be established • contracting and subsidizing program of servicers from public funds • planning the public information activities • training program and methodological guidance in view of increasing the performance of the staff managing and granting social services 1.1.4.1. General objective The general objective of the development plans of services mentioned in this report is to prevent the child’s separation from the family and to ensure the observanceof the rights of all children of the community. In case of plans which are not focused on the child, the objectives are usually broader. For instance, for the period 2018-2020, the general objective could be: “The establishment and development of a realistic and efficient system of social services at commune level, capable of ensuring the social inclusion of all vulnerable categories, improving the quality of life, equal treatment, non-discrimination and the right to a dignified life for all of the commune’s inhabitants�.66 It is worth mentioning that the general objectivedoes not change if the action plan is changed, nor with the change of the programming period for the plan’sdevelopment schedule. 1.1.4.2. Specific objectives The specific objectives operate the implementation of the general objective during the programming period. Examples of specific objectives in services development plans for communes:67 (i) “Setting up and consistent updating of a Database including data regarding beneficiaries, data regarding the granted allowances, their quantum and date of granting, as well as other information�; (ii) “Building-up some public-public, public-private partnerships with other public authorities or institutions, NGOs etc.� Table 4: Possible specific objectives for the development plans of services focused on the child Dimension Specific objectives Identity (1) All children have a birth certificate. documents (2) All household members over 14 years old and more have an identity card. (3) All the persons with disabilities wanting a disability certificate can obtain it. Education (4) All children of 5 years old and more are enrolled in a form of education. (5) All children with SEN and/or disabilities attend a form of education within the mass or special education system. The schools in the area (close to the child’s home) will ensure a sp ecific educational program for the children with special educational needs and/or with disabilities and as a minimal result, they will be at least literate and will know basic mathematical operations. (6) Each household with children has at least one adult in charge with the children’s education and school. The responsible adult will: (a) recognize the value of children attending formal education, (b) be in a permanent contact with the school, and (c) attend the meetings and councils organized at school. (7) All the children attending kindergarten or school benefit of social protection programs conducted through the education units. The list of benefits includes the national programs (money for high school, EURO 20, professional scholarship, croissant and milk, school supplies, scholarships), but can vary by school or locality. (8) All NEETD youth between 15 and 24 years old graduated at least 8 grades and attend courses of vocational training, trainings, apprenticeship and/or receive support to start a new business. 66The Mayor’s Office of Puiești Commune, Buzău County; the Mayor’s Office of Morunglav Commune, Olt County; the Mayor’s Office of Vaideeni Commune, Vâlcea County. Identical phrasing of general and specific objectives, actions and measures can also be found in the county development strategies of social services, such as the Development strategy of social services in Ploiești Municipality during the period 2018-2028. 67 The Mayor’s Office of Puiești Commune, Buzău County; the Mayor’s Office of Morunglav Commune, Olt County; the Mayor’s Office of Vaideeni Commune, Vâlcea County. 66 Dimension Specific objectives (9) All adults (15-64 years) know how to write, read and make basic mathematical operations. Health (10) All children below 1 year of age were assessed based on development standards and those who showed delays were referred to social services. (11) All children below 14 years have all the vaccinations up to date, according to the National Vaccination Program. (12) All children below 18 years and pregnant women are enlisted with the attending physician. (13) All children with chronical diseases and/or disabilities are diagnosed as soon as possible, benefit of the available national programs and receive the specialized medical care they need. (14) All pregnant women take the pre-birth medical controls. (15) In all households there is at least one adult who is informed and counselled about health care, hygiene, accidents prevention, preventive medicine services and traditional practices which are damaging for the children’s health. (16) All the households with children show practices of a healthy life-style. (17) All women of fertile age and all teenagers are informed and counselled about a healthy sexual life and contraceptive methods. Income (18) All families/persons entitled to money benefits obtain such benefits. (19) All children entitled to day center/services obtain that service. Family (20) No child below 15 years drops out of school to go to work. occupation Family (21) In all the households with children, there is at least one adult who is informed and dynamics counselled about modern techniques of raising children. (22) In all the families where one parent or both parents are not at home there are parental mechanisms and practices in place which ensure a good relationship between the child and the parent/caregiver so as the child can grow up in optimal conditions for his physical, mental, spiritual and social development in a harmonious way. (23) All the families having at least one child in the protection system visit him regularly and keep in touch with the child. (24) All the children live in a family, preferably the biological one, which is responsible with their raising and development (25) All the families having one or more members in custody are referred to/attend (within availability limit) a support, rehabilitation and integration program. Dwelling (26) All households living in overcrowded houses have at least one adult member who is informed and counseled about the management of limited space, both physically, and emotionally. (27) All households living in unhealthy residential conditions, the children and at least one adult member are informed, counselled and supported as regards the hygienic living conditions, sanitation of the environment, space organization and are given, for instance, cleaning products, construction materials etc.. Source: Teșliuc, Grigoraș, Stănculescu (coord.) (2016) Excerpts from the Implementation plan for the development of integrated services in the community –SPOR Program, World Bank. An analysis of the development strategies/plans of social services achieved by communes and which are available on the Internet shows they follow the same pattern, having general objectives, specific objectives, identical activities and measures. It is recommended that the development plan of community services is aligned to the county and national strategies/action plans, but at the same time not to be copied, that is to be tailored considering local conditions, as revealed by the substantiation analyses (analysis of the groups of children in risk situations and the analysis of the available services. 67 1.1.4.3. Setting up services development priorities In this phase of the drafting process of the community services development plan, the needs analysis for children and families with children and the analysis of community resources are finalized. By comparing the results of these analyses, a list was identified with prevention and support services which have to be developed in the commune. However, to initiate a concrete plan of action, the development priorities have to be established. That is, what services can be developed, in what order and over what time interval. The strategical planning of social services is performed on medium and long term (5, respectively 10 years), 68 and their implementation is performed through the annual action plans. Setting up priorities is a process usually implying a multi-criterial analysis. There are several criteria depending on which the priorities can be established for the development plan of services for preventing the child’s separation from the family in the community: • The size of the groups exposed to risk • The emergency of intervention (for instance, to develop mainly the services required for the households with children which after the needs analysis cumulated over 10 risk situations) • The results of a process of consultation/public debate/community participation • The existing human and material resources or which could be mobilized by the commune • The financial resources available from the local budget and the funding opportunities • Opportunities and constraints related to the collaboration with other institutions, such as DGASPC, PHD, CSI or the mayoralties from the functional micro-area. • Possible partnerships with the civil society and with the existing services suppliers. The result of this process is a short list of priorities (ideally 3-5) which should not be phrased in very general terms. The process can be performed in several rounds/stages. Although the analyses substantiating the services development plan are organized by dimensions/districts (such as economic, social, health, educational condition etc.), the plan’s approach should be integrated and focused on the safety and needs of the children and youth, in the context of their families and communities, as well as considering the strengths/resources of the families and communities. Size of the groups exposed to risk and the urgency of intervention Priority should be given to the development of the required services (from the list of services identified according to the model shown in section 1.1.3) for a larger number of children. At the same time, priority should also be given to the services for children and youth in the households which after the need’s analysis cumulated over 10 risk situations, as they are the ones most exposed to the risk of being separated from the family. Community participation in social services development The community participation in making the decisions is already regulated in the Romanian legislation, by the participation in the public meetings of the local council, including in the public debate of the local budget project, or by draft decisions such as citizenship initiatives. 69 However, the community participation in the development of social services opens up a new perspective in which the voice of the most vulnerable ones should be considered, beneficiaries of social services or not, who make or not written proposals to the local public authority. In this case, 68Law no. 292/2011, art. 117. 69Law no. 215/2001 of the local public administration, republished, updated and in forceas of June 23 rd, 2017. Law no. 273/2006 of local public finances, updated, and in force as of November 12 th, 2009. Law no. 52/2003 regarding decisional transparency in public administration, republished in 2013. 68 the local public authorities should comply with the UN principles regarding governance,70 especially with the principle regarding participation (Principle no. 9) and the creation of an inclusive process, from which nobody is excluded (Principle no. 7, Leaving No One Behind). The latter provides that all human beings can reach their potential in dignity and equality, the public policies consider the needs and aspirations of all segments of the society, including the poorest and most vulnerable ones and of those discriminated. To achieve this principle an equitable fiscal and monetary policy is required, the promotion of social equity, data disaggregation and systematic actions of monitoring and revision.71 The community participation in social services development can take place in several distinct stages. The first stage is for the needs analysis to identify the target group and the individual and household risks. This is a crucial stage in the prevention process and should stand for an ongoing stage in the activity of persons with assignments of social assistance at local level. Filling in the observation sheet, respectively the risks identification sheet according to the methodology shown in section 1.1.1 are the required steps for a consistent updating of the community needs. Collaboration of families with children is essential to successfully complete this stage. In any mayor’s office, this process will most probably encounter similar challenges to those encountered by the research teams within this project: (i) incomplete lists of households with children in the commune; (ii) lack of identity documents to establish their kinship relations; (iii) refusals generated by the lack of trust in the endeavors organized by local public authorities; (iv) underestimation of risks related to sensitive topics, such as domestic violence or alcohol abuse; (v) underestimations regarding other socially desirable subjects, such as consumption of fruit and vegetables or following a correct hygiene for the children in the family. In the second stage of prioritizing the services to be developed in the commune, the participation process should be preceded by information activities regarding the existing services and resources in the community/micro-area and those which might be mobilized by external resources of the local budget – either European funds, or programs funded from the State Budget, or voluntary actions or religious support groups. The current legislation72 (Order no.1086/201873) provides for the following information activities: • Revision/Updating the information published on the own webpage/displayed at the premise of the public service of social assistance; • Activities of public information, others than the beneficiary’s information within the process of granting social services, respectively during the period of initial assessment, of social investigations or of the counseling activity in day centers; • Free of chargetelephone line; • Campaigns of information and making the community sensitive, organized by the public service of social assistance or in collaboration with other public services of local interest etc.; • Promotion campaigns of the SPAS social services; • Organization of tripartite meetings; suppliers of social services, voluntary organizations, associations of beneficiaries etc.; 70 Principles of an effective governance for sustainable development, adopted on July 2 nd, 2018 by the UN Economic and Social Council, based on the principles expressed by the UN Committee of Experts in Public Administration, available here:http://workspace.unpan.org/sites/Internet/Documents/Principles%20of%20effective%20governance_to%2 0upload.docx.pdf. 71 Principle no. 9, Participation, provides that to have an effective public administration, all the significant political groups have to be actively involved in the problems affecting them directly and should have a chance to influence the policies. The examples include free and fair elections, a regulated process of public consultation, forums of the multiple stakeholders, participative budgeting and development based on the community. 72Order no. 1086/201872. 73 Regarding the Planning of public information activities related to the existing social services at local/county level according to art. 6 of Government Decision no. 797/2017. 69 • Activities of information and counseling performed through the community assistance service, such as: raising the public’s awareness and sensitivity to the risk of social exclusion, observance of social rights and promotion of social assistance measures, social mediation etc.; • Messages of public interest transmitted through the press. However, the active involvement of vulnerable groups implies, besides information, the performance of some process of animation, mediation, facilitation, similar to the models promoted within the local development placed in t he community’s responsibility (DLRC).74 This is also a way to move from a stage of information (the public administration requests from its own initiative information about the development of public policies – or the citizens access the information upon request), or of consultation (in the process of public policies elaboration, the public administration requests and receives the feedback of the citizens) to one of active participation (the citizens get actively involved in the decision making process and the development of public policies), that is a bi-directional relation between the public administration and citizens, based on partnership. The organization of the participation process implies following certain steps which can be summarized in the following “advices� to involve the citizens as partners: Table 5: Ten advices for action Advice 1. Take things seriously Publication of a large number of brochures is not enough to strengthen the government-citizens relations. Advice 2. Look at things from the Consider first the citizens’ perspective and treat them with citizens’ perspective respect. Advice 3. Do what you promised to If you manipulate and promise false things, some of them can fire back. Keeping promises and trust increase are essential. Advice 4. Take care of the time Stronger government-citizens relations need time to be built and show visible effects. Advice 5. Be creative There are no ready-made solutions for the challenges you are confronted with. Advice 6. Weight the various Manage the political challenges of weighting divergent interests inputs. Advice 7. Be prepared for criticism Criticisms and debates are part of democracy Advice 8. Get your personnel Be open and involve others from inside and from outside the involved organization. Advice 9. Develop coherent Do not forget: strengthening the government-citizens policies relations is in itself a public policy. Advice 10. Act now Prevention is preferable to the settlement. Source: Gramberger (2009: 102-111). Although it implies a substantial effort of mobilization, both from the local authority, and from the citizens, the community’s involvement in making decisions has a series of advantages: 75 • Contributes to the insertion of citizens;’ individual opinions in the policies elaboration process • Encourages civic abilities and values • Leads to rational decisions based on public decisions • Increases the legitimacy of the process and of the outcome. 74 Community Led Local Development (CLLD). 75Michels, De Graaf (2010). 70 Participative planning of social services means that the priorities are set up by a large-scale participative process, supervised by SPAS social assistance, which involves the consultation of local authorities, of local suppliers of services (public and private), of the community consultative structure (CCS), of NGOs active in the community, and especially, of the potential beneficiaries, that is the families, children and youth in risk situations. It is recommended that the participative process includes the online consultation of citizens. According to the experiments conducted on site, in case of the online consultation of the citizens, the participation is not uniform, but the use of mobile phone could increase the population’s involvement in the dialogue with the authorities, as compared to the traditional channels 76. As regards the local consultation about community services, the polls conducted by SMS 77 could be useful mainly in case of population from rural area or marginalized areas. Such polls can be used: (i) in the planning process (local action plans) to find out the citizens’ opinion about the development priorities (or improvement) of the community services; (ii) in the monitoring and assessment process, to ask the citizens’ opinion about the quality of services. Existing human and material resources or which can be mobilized by the commune The community can be involved in voluntary activities or of material support (from the companies, the Church, other families etc.), or by involving experts gathered in the Consultative Community Structures.78 Most communes have a strong deficit of human resources. The most often used solution is volunteering. Considering that in Romania, especially in rural areas, volunteering is weakly represented, incentivizing actions are required, mainly when we talk about volunteering for services dedicated to vulnerable groups. Besides, the support of volunteering development in social services is provided as part of the mandate of the Compartment of social assistance organized at the level of communes.79 For instance, the Development strategy of social services in Puieșți Commune, Buzău County provides as a specific objective the “development of pro -active and participative attitudes within the locality population and of the beneficiaries of social services�. Available financial resources from local budget and funding opportunities The planning process of services/interventions has to match the annual/multi-annual budgetary planning process. According to GD no.797/2017 regarding the approval of framework-regulations for the organization and operation of public services of social assistance and of the indicative structure of personnel, the annual action plan for social services is developed before substantiating the draft budget for the next year. Consequently, the selection of investment priorities in social field should also be mirrored by the draft budget shown for public debate. 80 To finance the required social services from sources outside the local budget it is necessary that the initiated project complies with the eligibility rules specific to each financing line, as follows: (i) 76Word Bank (2015). Researches can be carried out through mobile phones in general through three methods: SMS, WAP or mobile Internet or by downloading on the phone an app which collects passive data or randomly 77 An SMS survey can be extremely simple of specialized apps are used, which allow the introduction of questions in a pre-established format, import of telephone numbers that will be used in the survey, as well as the analysis and viewing of collected data. In order to encourage the participation of citizens, the costs of the SMS sent for the survey could be reduced. 78Law 272/2004 regarding the protection and promotion of child’s rights and GD 49/2011 for the approval of Framework-Methodology regarding the prevention and intervention in multi-disciplinary team and in network in cases of violence against the child or of domestic violence and of the Methodology of multi-disciplinary and inter-institutional intervention regarding exploited children and in situation of exploitation risk by work, children victims of trafficking, as well as Romanian migrant children victims of other forms of violence on the territory of other states. 79 GD 797/2017, Annex 3. 80 Law no. 273/2006 of local public finances provides that the budgetary process is open and transparent, which is obtained including by the public debate of the draft local budget. 71 eligibility of the applicant and of the partners; 81 (ii) eligibility of the project 82 and (iii) eligibility of activities.83 European funds can ensure the funding of social services identified as an answer to the social development needs of the community. The Operational Program Human Capital (POCU) finances a wide range of social services type center and type intervention/activity (see Table 2), but also experts, child’s protection services (e.g. support for maternal assistance network), educational services type intervention/activity (e.g. services of school counseling and orientation, professional/vocational services of counseling and orientation, A second chance program, counseling and mediation services on labor market, support in looking for a job, including accompaniment etc.), but also medical units and medical interventions/activities in the source commune. Annex 2 section A2.6 includes a list of potential funding sources for services development. As the funding of POCU, POR and PNDR are complementary, services funding should be planned with an overview and not depending on the interventions of target groups eligible for each line. That was one of the main reasons for which during the previous programming period (2007-2013) there were sufficient examples of established/developed social services which did not actually met the community needs, nor were they sustainable at the end of the financing period. Besides European funds, there are also funding sources from the State Budget. The National Program of Local Development (PNDL) 84 represents the main funding source for the local infrastructure and is based on the principle according to which each locality of the country should have a minimal set of public services in the field of: health, education, and water-sewerage, thermal and electric power, including public lighting, transport/roads, sanitation, culture, cults, dwelling and sports. The second stage of the PNDL 2017-2020 program finances 9,500 investment objectives, of which 2,500 nurseries and kindergartens, 2,000 schools and 5,000 other objectives (from all eligible fields).85 Opportunities and constraints related to the collaboration with other institutions, such as GDSAPC, PHD, CSI ormayoralties in functional micro-area Out of the list of required services to meet the needs of the groups of children and youth in risk situations in the commune (Table 3 of section 1.1.3) the list can be determined of county institutions SPAS has to cooperate with. To select the services to be developed by priority, SPAS should consult all these county institutions as regards their future plans related to the commune, the funding opportunities, the support they can offer or experts’ opinions on the services which should be planned for development of established in the first place. 81 Certain financing lines impose specific forms of partnerships. An example is POCU, Priority Axis 4, Investments Priority 9.iv/ Specific Objectives 4.12, 4.13, 4.14, in which it is mandatory the participation in the project of the General Directoratefor Social Assistance and Child Protection, having as subordinate the placement center to be closed and which makes the main subject-matter of the project, as an applicant/partner, which is an eligibility condition (Applicant’s GuidelineThe Children First 2016 – Social services and social-professional services in the community for children and youth, p. 18). For the same financing line, the suppliers of social services have to be accredited according to the law. Mainly considering the existence of certain social services (including child’s protection, educational, medical) in the rural /urban micro-area, the formula of some local action groups type of partnerships or associations for inter-community development could substantially contribute to a sustainable development of social services as an answer to the identified needs of the community. 82 Usually the target group is considered included in the specific conditions of each call. For instance, children and youth benefitting from a protection measure in a placement center of public and/or private classical residential type and the children exposed to the risk of separation from family (POCU, Priority Axis 4, Investments Priority 9.iv/ Specific Objectives 4.12, 4.13, 4.14). As regards the project eligibility it is also considered, where the case, the complementarity of POCU-POR interventions, or the specific conditions of approaching LEADER in case of PNDR, as well as project sustainability. 83 Each financing line has its own mix of services type intervention/activity, either they are social services, or child’s protection, educational or medical ones. In planning the approach of the identified needs in the commune the eligibility should be verified of each intervention and also the eligibility of the expenses included in the financing request 84Source: http://www.mdrap.ro/lucrari-publice/pndl. 85 For these investments, funds were allocated worth RON 30 billion as commitment credits. 72 Out of all county institutions, GDSAPC plays a key role. According to regulations in force 86 in the field of child protection and rights, GDSAPC is the institution in charge with the coordination and methodological guidance of the SPASs activities. To this end, all county GDSAPC have to appoint social workers responsible to maintain the relationship with each SPAS, who have other assignments and to offer support (upon the request of SPAS) in drafting local development strategies, in writing projects, as well as in any other activity aimed at preventing the child’s separation from parents. SPAS should also consult the mayor’s offices from the functional micro -area as regards their future plans to find out the possible opportunities to create new services in cooperation. Possible partnerships with civil society and with the existing services suppliers Both for the identification of children and youth at risk, and for interventions planning, SPAS have the obligation87 to make a list of active services suppliers in the community, including accredited non-governmental organizations in child’s protection fi eld, support groups, associations of parents with disabilities, associations of teachers-parents, phone lines, religious or charity groups (formal or informal). At the same time, the GDSAPC social assistance in charge with the coordination and methodological guidance of SPAS activity in the commune is responsible to facilitate the collaboration between SPAS and the non-governmental organizations operating in the county. 88 SPAS should consult all these entities as regards their future plans to determine the possible partnership opportunities for the development of existing services or for establishing new services. 1.1.4.4. Method of monitoring, assessment and, if the case, amendment of the development plan According to the methodology described in section 1.1.1, the population of children in the commune is monitored through the database “Observer of children in the community� (see Annex 2, section A2.1). The monitoring of children and families with children in risk situations is regulated by GD no. 691/2015 (art. 11). For these children, SPAS have the obligation to make a plan of services whose implementation should be monitored by visits at family domicile: (a) at every 12 months, if the risks identification sheet showed 1-5 risk situations from those shown in Table 1; (b) by-annually, for 6-10 risk situations; (c) quarterly for over 10 risk situations; or whenever required. Monitoring and assessment of children’s situation in the community is performed by the “Report regarding children in the community in risk situations�, which shows the evolution of the number of children by each type of risk and therefore points to the areas where the interventions should be intensified to increase the efficiency of the p reventive measures of child’s separation from family and of those related to child’s rights observance (see section 4.2. and Annex 2, section A2.4). This report developed for a period of 3-5 years is also a good measure of the impact of the implementation of services development plan. In addition, the newly-established services in the commune also have to be monitored, preferably by participative methods, considering the clients’ satisfaction (children and families with children). 86GD no. 691/2015, art. 14 and 15. 87GD no. 691/2015, art. 9. 88GD no. 691/2015, art. 15. 73 1.2. INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLYING THE INSTRUMENTS PROVIDED IN GD NO. 691/2015 GD no. 691/201589 refers to the working methodology regarding the collaboration between the Directorates-General for Social Assistance and Child Protection (DGASPC) and the public social assistance services (SPAS) in communes, towns, municipalities, as well as to the working tools and approaches to be used by them in order to fulfill the obligations provide under the law. This working methodology is aimed at supporting the SPAS to fulfill the task of monitoring and analyzing the situation of the children in the administrative-territorial unit, and in their activities aimed at preventing the separation of the child from the family, by identifying the risk situations that require support services and /or benefits. In compliance with the working methodology provided in the GD no. 691/2015, SPAS use two tools as part of their risk identification for children (0-17 years) in their territorial administrative unit, namely the Observation sheet and the Risk identification sheet. • The Observation sheet - a document to be filled out by SPAS representatives or by local professionals who, by virtue of the profession, come into contact with the child and have suspicions about a risk situation for the child; • The Risk identification sheet - a document to be filled out by the SPAS representatives in the home where there is a suspicion of risk situation for the child. 1.2.1. Observation Sheet - Instructions for use The Observation sheet is the first step of the intervention aimed at addressing the risk situation. The role of the observation sheet is to identify children where there is a suspicion of one or more risk situations (in the opinion of specialists) regarding: • the economic situation of the family; • the social situation of the family; • the health of family members; • the level of education of family members; • the living conditions of the family; • the presence of identified risk behaviours in the family. The observation sheet is to be filled out by SPAS representatives90 or by local professionals who, by virtue of the profession, come into contact with the child and have suspicions about the a risk situation for the child, namely community police officers, family doctors, teaching staff, nurses, school mediators, health mediators.91 89 Government Decision no. 691/2015 on approving the procedure for monitoring the upbringing and care for children whose parents work abroad and the services they can receive, and on approving the Working Methodology regarding the collaboration between the Directorates-General of Social Assistance and Child Protection and the public social assistance services and the templates for the documents drafted by them, Official Journal no. 663 of 01.09.2015. 90 A SPAS representative should fill out the Observation sheet in one of the following situations: (a) The SPAS has received the direct support request, submitted in writing to the public social assistance service, by post/ email /fax, or by telephone, from the child and/ or from the parents /legal representative; (b) The SPAS has received a notification from the parent who is the sole holder of parental responsibility for the respective child, or the parent in whose home the child lives, concerning the intention to leave abroad for work; the notification was submitted to the SPAS under the conditions of Art. 104 par. (1) of Law no. 272/2004 on the protection of children's rights, republished as amended; (c) SPAS has received a written or telephone notification from persons other than family members; (d) SPAS acted ex-officio while working on any case made known to the public social service, the press etc. 91 The observation sheet is to be filled out and sent, within 48 hours, to the public social assistance service in the territorial administrative unit they are part of. 74 The Observation sheet includes general information about the risk situations of a child / family in the community, as at the time of recording it. Single identification number Every single observation sheet must have a unique 5 digit identification number, as follows: A A B B B - Sheet identification number A A - double digit county code, from 1 to 52 (see Annex 1) B B B - sheet code, three digits, from 1 to 999 Note Please make sure that each Observation sheet has a correctly written single identification number. This single identification number is used for correlating the Observation sheet with the Risk identification sheet and, further on, for correctly identifying the information collected about the child at risk and registered in the Registry of Children at Risk. Identification data for the family under observation The identification data will include the names of the persons who introduce themselves as the head of the family under observation. The names of the administrative- Surname and name of the head of the family under territorial units (including observation constituent localities and villages) ............................................................................... will be written in full, without abbreviations, according to the County: .................................................................... administrative division of the City/town/commune: ................................................ country, in compliance with the legislation in force on the date of Street:........................................................ No.......... the registration. Telephone: The telephone number will be .................................................................... written down clearly. Signature: ................................................................ The observation sheet will be signed by the head of the family under observation. Data concerning the person who fills out the sheet; date The Observation sheet will mandatorily include the name and surname of the person who fills it out, as well as the Surname and name of the person filling out the position they hold. sheet: The person who fills out the observation ..................................................................... sheet has to sign it. Position:.......................................................... On each observation sheet filled out, the Signature:....................................................... person who fills out has the obligation to record the day /month /year, as well as Date of filling out the observation sheet: time when the discussion started and Day |__||__| Month |__||__| Year |__||__||__||__| ended. Hour of beginning discussions: |__|__| : |__|__| Hour of ending discussions: |__|__| : |__|__| 75 ECONOMIC SITUATION Indicators used: a. The family is in a situation of poverty b. One or both parents have no occupation or are unemployed c. The family receives social benefits Note For each economic situation indicator, the answer will be 1. yes or 2. no, according to the situation in the field at the time of registration. Definitions Family - group of persons related by kinship, which may be made-up of couples who are legally married or in a consensual union, an adult with one or more children under 18, two adults with one or more children under 18, where the adults can be natural parents, other relatives or other people who are the caregivers of the children. Family in poverty - Situation where the income per family member is below the equivalent of one dollar per day, in the Romanian currency, or where, in the last winter, the family was unable to warm the home and suffered from cold at least once a week, or where they did not have food to put on the table at least once a week over the past six months. Person with no occupation - a person who is fit for work, aged between 15 and the legal retirement age, who does not work as an employee, day-labourer, undeclared worker, business owner, self-employed in non-agriculture activities (sole trader, family business, freelance), self- employed in agriculture, family support, retired before the legal retirement age, retired in other manner, pupil, student, housewife, person who is not fit for work. Registered unemployed person - a person who is fit for work, aged between 15 and the legal retirement age, who is not not have a commitment to carry out an economic or social activity, who is looking for a job (including their first job) and is willing to start work immediately. The person is registered with the employment offices and receives or does not receive unemployment benefit, professional integration allowance, support allowance. Unregistered unemployed person - a person who is fit for work, aged between 15 and the legal retirement age, who does not have a commitment to carry out an economic or social activity, who is looking for a job (including their first job) and is willing to start work immediately. The person is not registered with the employment offices and does not receive unemployment benefit, professional integration allowance, support allowance. Social Benefits - Family receiving family allowance / guaranteed minimum income / heating benefits (heating subsidies, firewood), emergency aid / other types of benefits and aids. SOCIAL SITUATION Indicators used: a. There is an underage mother or an underage pregnant woman in the family b. The family is single-parent c. One or both parents work elsewhere in the country or abroad d. Both parents are deceased, unknown, have lost their parental rights, or have received a criminal penalty terminating their parental rights, have been subjected to a court order, are missing or declared deceased in court, and no guardianship or, as the case may be, no special protection measure is in place e. The family has one or more children who have returned to the country after a migration 76 experience of over one year f. The family has one or more children in the special protection system g. The family has one or more children reintegrated from the special protection system h. The family has members with sensory, neurological or intellectual disabilities that significantly limit their quality of life and participation in social life i. At least one family member (including an adult) does not have civil status documents j. One or more family members have received custodial sentences k. The family is in any other situation that may point out to a vulnerability. Please state which other situation: Note For each social situation indicator, the answer will be 1. yes or 2. no, according to the situation in the field at the moment of registration. If the family is in another situation that may point out to a vulnerability (the k indicator), the situation will be recorded in a clear manner. Definitions Underage Mother / Underage Pregnant Woman - Any woman in the family under the age of 18 who has declared that she has had at least one live birth or who is pregnant Single parent family - Family in which the child / children live with only one parent. Absence of civil status documents - Absence of birth certificate, identity card, marriage certificate. MEDICAL SITUATION Indicators used: a. The family has one or more members with chronic and communicable diseases b. The family has one or more members who are not registered with a family doctor c. There is a pregnant woman in the family who is not registered with a family doctor d. The family has an infant who is not registered with a family doctor e. The family has one or more children who are not registered with a family doctor f. The family has one or more children who are not vaccinated g. The family has one or more children without chronic and transmissible diseases, with multiple hospitalization h. The family is facing any other situation that may affect the child's health. Please specify which other types of health problems: Note For each medical situation indicator, the answer will be 1. yes or 2. no, according to the situation in the field at the moment of registration. If the family is in another situation that may point out to a vulnerability (the h indicator), the types of health problems identified will be recorded in a clear manner. Definitions Family member / Pregnant / Sugar / Child not registered with a family doctor - Persons not registered with a family doctor. 77 Unvaccinated child - Any person aged between the age of 1 and 5 years who, according to the community doctor, is not vaccinated to date in compliance with the national vaccination scheme. LEVEL OF EDUCATION Indicators used: a. One or both parents are illiterate b. The family has one or more children of school age who are not attending compulsory education c. The family has one or more children who are early school leavers d. The family has one or more children with low school attendance or repetition of school years e. The family has one or more children with poor school performance (second examinations etc.) f. The family has one or more children with a history of school punishment (have been expelled, have low conduct grades etc.) g. The family has a large number of ante pre-school / pre-school / school children in the family h. The family has one or more children with special educational needs i. The family is facing another situation that may affect the child's right to education. Please specify which other types of education issues: Note For each education situation indicator, the answer will be 1. yes or 2. no, according to the situation in the field at the moment of registration. If the family is in another situation that affect the child’s right to education (the h indicator), the types of education problems identified will be recorded in a clear manner. Definitions Illiterate parents - One or both parents cannot write and read. Special Educational Requirements - Additional educational needs, complementary to the general education objectives, tailored to individual specificities and characteristics of a particular defficiency /disability or learning disorder /challenge, as well as complex assistance (medical, social, educational etc.) 92 LIVING CONDITIONS Indicators used: a. The family lives illegally in the housing premises, including illegally built premises b. The family lives in inadequate conditions, namely the house is advanced state of degradation or it is improvised on premises that are not intended for this purpose - warehouses, water towers, sewage facilities, derelict buildings etc. c. The family does not have enough living space, given the numbers of members; the dwelling is overcrowded d. The family has no access to utilities, especially water, electricity and heating. e. The family does not have the minimum facilities required for cooking, heating and furniture of strict necessity 92Order 5574 of 7 October 2011. 78 f. The dwelling is not maintained, inadequate hygiene g. The family is facing home safety issues (roof leakage, damp walls, rotten or damaged windows/floors etc.) Note For each living conditions indicator, the answer will be 1. yes or 2. no, according to the situation in the field at the moment of registration. Definitions Inadequate housing conditions - the dwelling is in a state of degradation or is improvised in venues that are not intended for this purpose - warehouses, water towers, sewage facilities, derelict buildings. Overcrowded dwelling - a home where the number of rooms does not meet the need for family housing. According to Eurostat, a dwelling is not overcrowded when: couples have a separate room, every single person aged 18 and over has their own room, pairs of same-sex children aged between 12 and 17 have a separate room, there is a room for each a child aged between 12 and 17 (if they are not same-sex) and / and there is a separate room accommodating children under the age of 12. RISK BEHAVIOURS Indicators used: a. The family has a history of complaints / notifications registered with and confirmed by local public administration authorities or by the police, concerning the antisocial behaviour of a family member, such as criminal offenses, using minors for begging etc. b. One or more family members have an aggressive behaviour or the family has a history of domestic violence, such as complaints or a protection order c. Alcohol abuse in the family. d. Psychotropic substance abuse or history of abuse in the family Note For each risk behaviour indicator, the answer will be 1. yes or 2. no, according to the situation in the field at the moment of registration. Definitions History of complains and notifications - complaints / notifications registered with and confirmed by local public administration authorities or by the police, concerning the antisocial behaviour of a family member, such as criminal offenses, using minors for begging etc. Alcohol abuse - At least one family member consumes alcohol daily. Psychotropic substance abuse - At least one family member consumes psychotropic substances. 79 1.2.2. Risk Identification Sheet - Instructions for use The Risk identification sheet is the second step of the intervention aimed at addressing the risk situation and informs the decisions that will be made through the intervention plan. The role of the Risk identification sheet is to collect systematic and detailed information about families where there is suspicion of a risk situation for the child. The data collected include the following: • Data concerning the household • Data concerning the family referred in the observation sheet (economic situation, parenting practices) • Data concerning the mother • Data concerning the father • Data concerning the caregiver • Data concerning the children (health, development, education, well-being) • Data concerning the father The Public Service for Social Assistance will fill out the Risk identification sheet for all children at risk in their territorial administrative unit, for which an observation sheet was initially filled in. This sheet must be filled out for all families for which at least one risk situation has been identified through the observation sheet. The sheet has to be filled out as part of the visit to the family referred. The home visit is mandatory, because the sheet also includes indicator that rely on the subjective observation of the professional who fills it out. Note The risk identification sheet should not filled out in the office. It requires a visit to the family referred. Single identification number Every single risk identification sheet must have a unique 5 digit identification number, as follows: A A B B B - Sheet identification number A A - double digit county code, from 1 to 52 (see Annex 1) B B B - sheet code, three digits, from 1 to 999 Note Please make sure that each risk identification sheet has a correctly written single identification number. This single identification number is used for correlating the Risk identification sheet with the Observation sheet and, further on, for correctly identifying the information collected about the child at risk and registered in the Registry of Children at Risk. The Risk identification sheet and the Observation sheet are kept together and it is necessary that the data in the two documents can be correlated. GENERAL INFORMATION Indicators used: The person who filled out the observation sheet Surname and name 80 Name of the NGO Vulnerabilities recorded in the Observation sheet Date of filling out the Observation sheet Date of filling out the Risk identification sheet County/ city/ town/ commune Name of the person filling out the Risk identification sheet Position of the person filling out the Risk identification sheet Signature of the person filling out the Risk identification sheet Note Each Risk identification sheet will include the identification number of the correlated Observation sheet. Note The information retrieved from the Observation sheet (the person who filled out the sheet, the vulnerabilities recorded in the observation sheet), if any, should not be different than they were initially recorded. I. DATA CONCERNING THE HOUSEHOLD This section includes information concerning the household of which the family concerned is part and concerning the family nuclei in the household. Indicators used: Discussion start/end time Location Name of the family referred in the Observation sheet The family is part of a larger household The family is a self-contained household The name of the head of the household that the family referred in the Observation sheet is part of The address of the household that the family referred in the Observation sheet is part of Telephone number of the head of household Signature of the head of household Definitions Household - a group of people who usually live together, generally related by kinship, look after the household (do joint housekeeping), sometimes work together in the household, consume and use their products jointly, and participate fully or partly in making and using household income and expenditure budget. The household may be made up of one or more family nuclei. Head of household - the adult person declared and recognized as such by the other members of the household, usually the husband. The decision belongs exclusively to the members of the household and takes into account some personal characteristics, such as: authority, age, occupation, income, ownership of the household etc. II. DATA CONCERNING THE FAMILY REFERRED IN THE OBSERVATION SHEET Indicators used: 81 The presence of the mother in the household The presence of the father in the household Establishment of guardianship Establishment of special protection measures Number of children aged 0-17 Number of household members Indicators concerning the economic situation The family receives family allowance, social benefits, or heating benefit At least one family member has received other benefits or aids in the past year, including emergency aid from the town hall, monthly allowance for severe disability, food aid from the European Union etc. Last month, the total amount of money earned from salaries, pensions, allowances, sales, social benefits etc. by all family members was about... Last month, the income per family member was... The family owns a garden or a household, has relatives or friends in the countryside, from where they obtain or receive various food The total net monthly income in the past month allowed the family to cover current expenditures Subjective estimation of family income How often, in the last 6 months, was the family unable to put food on the table and did the children suffer from hunger? Does the family own a car, farmland, forest, pasture, real estate? Indicators concerning parenting practices The parent /caregiver helps the children with their homework The parent /caregiver spends a lot of time with the children, doing what the children like The parent /caregiver knows what are the things that can harm children The parent /caregiver lose their temper when they want to discipline children The parent /caregiver also applies physical corrections to raise and educate children properly The parent /caregiver believe that children misbehave only to annoy them Definitions Family - group of persons related by kinship, which may be made-up of couples who are legally married or in a consensual union, an adult with one or more children under 18, two adults with one or more children under 18, where the adults can be natural parents, other relatives or other people who care for the children. Note Information concerning the family members is particularly important as it depends on the completion of several sections of the Sheet: ! If the mother is 1. present; 2. working abroad; 3. studying or working elsewhere in the country; 4. in short-term hospitalization (max. 45 days), the section on the Data concerning the mother should be filled in. 82 ! If the father is 1. present; 2. working abroad; 3. studying or working elsewhere in the country; 4. in short-term hospitalization (max. 45 days), the section on the Data concerning the father should be filled in. ! If both the mother and the father are in one of the following situations: 5. in a hospital / care center etc. for a the long term; 6. in prison; 7. divorced / separated and moved out; 8. have lost their parental rights; 9. have received a criminal penalty terminating their parental rights; 10. placed under court order; 11. deceased; 12.missing our declared deceased in court; 13. unknown; 14. a situation other than above , the section on Data concerning the main caregiver should be filled in. ! For each child who has not yet reached the age of 18, the section on Data concerning the child should be filled in. Note If both the mother and the father have lost their parental rights or are deceased, the sheet will mention if guardianship or special protection measures have been established. Note The information on the economic situation of the family is particularly important, because the proposed indicators help determine whether the family is in a situation of extreme/monetary poverty and what resources are available to them. Note Information on parenting practices is relevant for understanding the relationship between parent/ caregiver and child, in order to identify risk situations of neglect or violence against children. III. DATA CONCERNING THE MOTHER Indicators used: Surname / Name / Date of birth / Personal Identification Number (CNP) Ethnicity / Civil Status Education Occupation The mother is registered with the family doctor The mother has a chronic or communicable disease The mother has a disability that significantly limits her quality of life and participation in social life Type of disability The mother has a disability certificate In which year did she receive the first certificate Disability degree Disability code The mother manages to provide her own treatment, medication, equipment Overall, how does the mother assess her general health? Number of live births during the mother’s lifetime Number of children who have died 83 Number of children who are alive The number of children who are alive and have ever been in their lifetime in care of someone else The number of children who are alive and have been continuously in the care of the mother Is the mother pregnant at present? Has the mother has ever made any request for the institutionalization of any child? Has the mother ever been the subject of any investigation by the General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection? At present, how many children of this mother are in the protection system? Does the mother have a history of alcohol abuse / substance abuse /criminal history /prostitution /violence or partner abuse /other police issues? Indicators related to the pregnant mother What month of pregnancy? The pregnancy is registered with the family doctor Has the mother undergone prenatal checks? Did the mother want to be pregnant? Note If the mother is pregnant at the moment of recording the data, the section on Indicators concerningthe pregnant mother should be filled out. IV. DATA CONCERNING THE FATHER Indicators used: Surname / Name / Date of birth / Personal Identification Number (CNP) Ethnicity / Civil Status Education Occupation The father is registered with the family doctor The father has a chronic or communicable disease The father has a disability that significantly limits his quality of life and participation in social life Type of disability The father has a disability certificate In which year did he receive the first certificate Disability degree Disability code The father manages to provide his treatment, medication, equipment Overall, how does the father assess his general health? Has the father has ever made any request for the institutionalization of any child? Has the father ever been the subject of any investigation by the General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection? At present, how many children of this father are in the protection system? Does the father have a history of alcohol abuse / substance abuse /criminal history /prostitution /violence or partner abuse /other police issues? 84 V. DATA CONCERNING THE CAREGIVER Indicators used: Surname / Name / Date of birth / Personal Identification Number (CNP) Ethnicity / Civil Status Education Occupation The person is registered with the family doctor The person has a chronic or communicable disease The person has a disability that significantly limits her quality of life and participation in social life Type of disability The person has a disability certificate In which year did they receive the first certificate Disability degree Disability code The person manages to provide their treatment, medication, equipment Overall, how does the person assess their general health? Does the person have a history of alcohol abuse / substance abuse /criminal history /prostitution /violence or partner abuse /other police issues? Note This section should be filled out only if both the mother and the father are not present in the family. If there is no adult (18 years old or older) in the household (for example, if there are two underage persons living in consensual union or 2 or 3 underage siblings who look after themselves), do not fill out this section and take action in accordance with the legislation in force. VI. DATA CONCERNING THE CHILD Indicators used: Surname / Name / Date of birth / Personal Identification Number (CNP) / Gender Ethnicity / Civil Status The child is placed in the special protection system The child is in placement with relatives The child is in placement with other persons The child is in foster care The child has an underage mother The child has left the country once or several times, for a period longer than 3 months, outside period of the summer holiday Last country the child has been to For how many months were they away the last time Over the past two weeks, how many meals a day had the children had in the family Where do most of the clothes that the family children wear come from? 85 Indicators on the child’s health Weight of the child at present Height of the child at present The child is registered with a family doctor The child has had the compulsory vaccines to date The child has a disability assessed (regardless of the time of the assessment) Has the disabled child ever been assessed (regardless of the time of the assessment)? When did the first assessment of the disabled child take place (in what year)? For what purpose was the first assessment made? The child has a disability or a diagnosis of serious illness, which can be classified in a degree of disability The child has a disability degree certificate In which year did they receive the first certificate Disability code In day-to-day basic activities, the child is self-sufficient / needs help / is totally dependent on others The child has been hospitalized several times over the past 12 months as a solution to problems such as lack of family supervision during farm work or the inability to adequately heat their home during the winter The child has experienced physical neglect / abuse / sexual abuse / psychological or emotional abuse / exploitation / work on the street or begging Indicators on the development of the child aged below 1 year What weight did the infant have at birth What Apgar score did the infant have at birth The infant receives vitamin D drops /iron syrup The infant is breastfed The infant started food diversification after the age of 6 months The infant receives two eggs a week The infant receives vegetables or fruits every day The infant receives some meat every day At 3 months, the infant can hold their head At 6 months, the infant can sit At 9 months old, the infant can crawl Starting with the age of 2 months, the infant can babble, laugh / laugh / watch objects Indicators on the development of the child aged between 1 and 5 years The child receives vitamin D drops The child eats eggs two-three times a week The infant receives vegetables or fruits every day The child receives some meat every day The child can walk /speak /hear /see /smile, laugh Indicators on the development of the child aged between 6 and 13 years 86 The child has breakfast daily The child eats vegetables or fruits every day The child walks or runs for at least an hour a day The child spends more than an hour a day in front of the TV The child spends more than an hour a day in front of the computer Indicators on the development of the adolescent The child has breakfast daily The child eats vegetables or fruits every day The child walks or runs for at least an hour a day The child spends more than an hour a day in front of the TV The child spends more than an hour a day in front of the computer The child has had one of the following behaviours: has had sexual activity /is an underage mother, is pregnant or already has children /consumes alcohol, tobacco or drugs /has had experiences of beating or violence with other children or youth /is in a "gang“ or in a group of friends at risk /has ever ran away or left home / has had problems with the police Indicators on child education The child is enrolled in the kindergarten /school The child has ever been enrolled in kindergarten /school Why is the child not going to school at present? What type of school are they attending? What grade is the child in? The child has a school bag, notebooks, books and school supplies The child does not go to school sometimes because they have to go to work or stay at home with their younger siblings or help in the household What conduct grade did the child receive during the last school year Over the past school year, the child has undergone second examinations So far, the child has repeated a school year The child is thinking about dropping out of school The child has special educational needs The child has a special educational needs certificate The child sometimes stays at home alone or only siblings (without no adult present) What is the most often used method of disciplining the child? Indicators on the well-being of the child The child is properly fed The child is properly clothed The child is seen by a doctor regularly The child is healthy The child has good conditions for rest, play, relaxation The child goes to school regularly The child has good learning conditions 87 Note The section on Data concerning the child should be filled out for each child in the family. The section should be filled out together with the mother, father or caregiver of the child. Note Depending on the age of the child, the data concerning the development should will be filled out separately for children aged 0-12 months, 1-5 years, 6-13 years, 14 years of age and over. Note The section concerning the child’s education is only for children older than 3 years. VII. DATA CONCERNING LIVING CONDITIONS Indicators used: The dwelling is situated in the center of the locality / between the center and the periphery /at the periphery /outside the locality, in a colony In the vicinity of the dwelling, within a radius of about 200 meters, there are one or more inhabited houses /a forest /a garbage dump /a river, stream, pond /derelict buildings, ruins /one or more inhabited houses Type of dwelling Property of the dwelling How many rooms does the dwelling have, apart from the kitchen, bathroom, halls and other annexes? How many rooms are used for sleeping? In the household there is a designated place for children, where they can do their homework or play In how many beds do household children and adults sleep? Over the past 6 months, it has happened that a household member had to sleep elsewhere (on the floor, on a bench, in a stable etc.) because there was no room to sleep in a bed The number of rooms in the dwelling meets the needs of the household You have problems with your dwelling (roof leakage, damp walls, windows /floors rotten or damaged) The rooms are naturally lit The dwelling is connected to electricity The dwelling has access to drinking water The dwelling is connected to the sewage system The home has a bathroom or a shower There is a toilet inside the dwelling The dwelling has a designated are for cooking food The dwelling has the necessary equipment (stove, hob, fridge etc.) for cooking food The dwelling has a TV set The dwelling has a computer to which children have access The dwelling has Internet connection Number of couples in the household Number of single persons aged 18 and over in the household Number of girls aged 12-17 who are not in a couple 88 Number of boys 12-17 years who are not in a couple Last winter, how often was the family not able to warm the home and had to suffer from cold? VIII. EVALUATION BY DIRECT OBSERVATION This section should be filled out by the person who fills out the Risk identification sheet, by means of direct observation. Indicators used: The level of hygiene in the household Living conditions in the household Note Questions are not to be read aloud and are to be filled out after the interview, upon leaving the dwelling, at the end of the visit. 89 1.3. DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR SERVICES PREVENTING CHILD-FAMILY SEPARATION, FOR 30 SOURCE RURAL COMMUNITIES The development plans for prevention and support services for the 30 source communities selected are presented in distinct documents. 90 Output #6 2 ANALYSIS OF THE SURVEY OF FAMILIES OF INSTITUTIONALIZED CHILDREN LIVING IN SOURCE COMMUNITIES 91 2. ANALYSIS OF THE SURVEY OF FAMILIES OF INSTITUTIONALIZED CHILDREN LIVING IN SOURCE COMMUNITIES According to the methodology described in section 1.1.1, community censuses of the families with children coming from the 30 rural source communities that have been selected for this survey were based on the Risk Identification Sheet. As we have already shown in the Social Services Map of the Source Communities (Output # 4), in order to plan a community-level intervention, it is necessary to find out whether the families who have children in the special protection system (in February 2018) are focused at the level of one village or several villages or they are spread out. Starting from the mapping results, within those 30 communes there have been selected 48 villages, which focus the majority of families with children in the special protection system, who still live in the commune. In these 48 villages there have been carried out community censuses of the families with children, regardless of whether or not they have children in the special protection system. In addition, in other 19 villages, there have been conducted between 1 and 6 interviews (a total of 51) only with the families who have children in the special protection system. In total, the Risk Identification Sheet was applied to 5,840 households, 93 out of which in 155 households there are families who have one or more children in the special protection system. Among these 155 households, 32 do not have any children present at home, while in the other 123 there are living between 1 and 12 children. According to the lists of children in the protection system (drawn up in February 2018 for Outcome # 4), a total of 622 children 94 come from the villages selected for community censuses. However, only 307 children still had (in February 2018) someone in the family who lived in the commune of origin. 95 The research teams for the community censuses carried out in September-October 2018, managed to identify directly in the field and obtained the acceptance of participation for the families of 210 of them.96 The following sections present the main outcomes of the Community censuses. The approach is comparative - in order to understand the situation of the families with children in the special protection system, the diagnosis of the risk situations is carried out in a comparative manner among the 155 households where at least one family nucleus has one or more children in the protection system and the other 5,685 households who do not have institutionalized children. The analysis is organized depending on the types of risk97 situations, namely: (a) the economic situation of the family; (b) the social situation of the family; (c) the health status of the family members; (d) the level of education of the family members; (e) the dwelling conditions of the family; (f) the existence of identified risk behaviours within the family (see the indicators in Table 1). The households with children in the Special Protection System (SPS) differ significantly from the other households as regards the dimension and the composition. Thus, the 155 households have a total of 685 members, out of which 362 are children. 98 Unlike the households without children in 93 The application was carried out by a network made of 316 operators and 15 field coordinators, mainly made of social workers and sociologists, who used tablets and the Aurora software, developed by UNICEF and especially modified for this project. 94 These 622 children represent 62% of all children in the special protection system declared by the DGASPCs (General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection) as coming from the 35 source communities that have been selected for the Social Services Map of Output # 4. 95 The families of the other 315 children either had already moved to another locality in the country, or they moved abroad, either they were dead/unknown or there was no information about their domicile. 96 In other words, information was gathered for 68% of the children in the special protection system who come from the analyzed villages. The families of the other children either were no longer in the commune (from February to September), or could not be found at home after three home visits, or refused to participate in the research. 97 GD no. 691/2015 art. 4 and 5. 98 In the other 5,685 households there are 23,779 members, out of which 11,400 are children. 92 the SPS, that in the majority (61%) have 3 or 4 members, 99 the households that (also) have children in the SPS are predominantly either large - with 5-15 members (42%) or small - made of 1 or 2 members (25%).100 Similarly, if over three quarters (77%) of the households without children in the SPS have 1-2 children present at home, more than half of the households with children in the SPS either have no children at home (21%) or have a large number of 4-12 children (24%) (Table 6). In correlation, most children present in the households with children in the SPS live in large households with many children, while most children in the households without children in SPS are from households with 1-2 children. In other words, the children from the SPS come from families who, most of them, have children at home too, an important share having even a large number of children at home. Table 6: Distribution of the households and the children present in the households, according to the type of household (with or without children in the SPS) and according to the number of children present at home (%) Children in Household Children in the Household Total of s THAT household household s Total of children HAVE s s THAT WITHOUT household present in children in WITHOUT HAVE children in s household the SPS as children in children in the SPS s well the SPS the SPS as well With no children 0 21 1 0 0 0 at home 1 child at home 41 21 40 20 9 20 2 children at home 36 19 36 36 16 35 3 children at home 13 15 13 19 20 19 4 children at home 5 10 5 10 18 10 5-12 children at 5 14 5 14 37 15 home Total - % 100 100 100 100 100 100 -N 5,685 155 5.840 11,400 362 11,762 Source: World Bank, Community Census of the Families with Children coming from 30 Rural Source Communities (September-October 2018). The households with children in the SPS are significantly more exposed to risks related to the economic situation compared to the other households (Table 7). Thus, they have a poverty rate twice as high (43% versus 20%) and an extreme poverty rate over three times higher (17% versus 5%). In addition, 70% of them (versus 39% of the other households) live from hand to mouth, because all their members of 15 years old and over are either are not working or are incapacitated for work, or work by the day in the informal sector (without a labour contract and without a stable income). However, the share of the households with children in the SPS who are in poverty and do not receive social benefits is higher than that of the level of the other households (16% versus 10%). An explanation for the high poverty rate among the households with children in the SPS is that many of them are part of the category of the poor people working who earn little money from occasional work and have many mouths to feed (i.e., to a large extent, these are large households with many children). Thus, the poverty rate among the households that live only from occasional 99 Out of the households without children in the SPS, only 0.2% are made of single people, almost 7% have 2 members, and 32% have 5-15 members. 100 In addition, out of the households that (also) have children in the SPS, 15% have 3 members and 18% have 4 members. 93 income is of 43%, compared to 6% among those households where at least one member is an employee, employer or retiree. At the same time, Figure 2 presents how the poverty rate increases monotonously depending on the number of children present in the household, from 13% of the households with one child to a maximum of over four times greater of 54% of the households with 5- 12 children. Figure 2: Poverty rates (% households) according to the number of children present in the household 54 43 30 13 17 1 child at home 2 children at home 3 children at home 4 children at home 5-12 children at home Source: World Bank, Community Census of Families with Children coming from 30 Rural Source Communities (September-October 2018). Note: Only households with 1-12 children at home (N = 5,786) are taken into consideration. Table 7: Diagnosis of the risk situations related to the economic situation to which the children present in the households from 30 rural source communities are exposed to, according to the type of household (with or without children in the SPS) (% of households) Households Households Total number WITHOUT THAT HAVE of households children in the children in the in which at Risk indicators SPS, where at SPS, in which least one least one at least one family is at family nucleus family nucleus risk… is at risk … is at risk… Total of households studied in those 30 source communities: - Number 5,685 155 5,840 -% 100 100 100 1. ECONOMIC SITUATION 30 54 31 a. The family is in a situation of poverty 20 43 21 ─ 1. monetary poverty(the income available per family member is under 0,4 ISR (social 17 34 18 reference index) = lei 200) ─ 2. extreme poverty (regularly, the family either could not heat the dwelling, or could 5 17 5 not provide food for the children) c1. Family in poverty who does not receive social benefits for poverty (MGW – heating aid, emergency aid, social canteen, EU food 10 16 10 aid) b. Single-parent supporter or both parents have no occupation or are unemployed 17 28 17 d. Family affected by the insecurity of the incomes (all members 15+ who are not in school or undergoing any training, either do not work, or work but without an 39 70 40 employment contract and without stable income) 94 Source: World Bank, Community Census of Families with Children coming from 30 Rural Source Communities (September-October 2018). Note: SPS = Special Protection System. More than three-quarters (76%) of the households with children in the SPS are in at least one social- related risk situation (without taking into account the risk related to the existence of a child in the SPS) (see Table 8). The most common social risk situations refer to the presence of single-parent nuclei in the household, of members with disabilities (especially adults), and the lack of identity documents for one or more members (mainly for children). Also, among the households with children in the SPS, the households with underage mothers represent 5% compared to 2% of the other households. Similarly, the households with one or more members sentenced to a custodial sentence are 3% of the households with children in the SPS and only 1% of the households without children in the SPS. This mix of single parents with children, disabilities, underage mothers, lack of identity documents and people deprived of their freedom is another determining factor for the high poverty rate of the households with children in the SPS (Figure 3). Correlated, in 29% of the households with children in the SPS there have been registered one or more children left in hospital units. Figure 3: Poverty rates (% of households) depending on the social status risks 58 42 43 44 41 30 21 Total i1. At least one i2. At least a. There is an f. The family has j. The family has k2. The family has households adult from the one child from underage one or more one or more one or more family does not the family does mother or a children enrolled members children have not have pregnant minor in the special sentenced to abandoned in identification identification in the family protection a custodial hospital units documents documents system sentence Source: World Bank, Community Census of Families with Children coming from 30 Rural Source Communities (September-October 2018). Note: The other types of social-related risks (see Table 8) have poverty rates similar to the average for all households, with two exceptions: c. The single parent supporter or both parents are working in the country or abroad - with a poverty rate of 12%; k1. The family has one or more children in foster placement or foster care at risk - with a poverty rate of 4%. As expected, the percentage of the households in which one or more children from the SPS were reintegrated is six times higher in the households with children in the SPS than in the households with no children in the SPS (6% versus 1%). In contrast, according to the legal provisions, the households with one or more children in foster placement or foster care are almost entirely within the households without children in the SPS. Table 8: Diagnosis of the risk situations related to the social situation to which the children present in households from 30 rural source communities are exposed to, according to the type of household (with or without children in SPS) (% of households) Households Households WITHOUT Total number THAT HAVE children in the of households children in the in which at Risk indicators SPS, where at SPS, in which least one least one at least one family is at family nucleus family nucleus risk… is at risk… is at risk … Total of households studied in those 30 95 source communities: - Number 5.685 155 5.840 -% 100 100 100 2. SOCIAL SITUATION 44 100 (*) 46 a. There is an underage mother or a pregnant minor in the family 2 5 2 b. The family is a single-parent family 26 38 26 c. Single-parent supporter or both parents are working in the country or abroad 4 4 4 d. Both parents are deceased, unknown, or disqualified from parental rights, or have been applied criminal penalties of prohibition of parental rights, have been 5 5 5 subject to a court order, missing or declared as dead in court f. The family has one or more children enrolled in the special protection system 0 100 3 g. The family has one or more children re- enrolled in the special protection system 1 6 1 h. The family has members with sensory, neurological or intellectual disabilities that significantly limit their life quality and 9 25 10 participation in social life ─ 1. adults 6 19 7 ─ 2. children 4 6 4 i. At least one family member (an adult included) does not have civil status records 8 19 9 ─ 1. adults 4 7 4 ─ 2. children 6 13 6 j. The family has one or more members sentenced to a custodial sentence 1 3 1 k1. The family has one or more children in foster placement or foster care under 3 (**) 3 circumstances of risk k2. The family has one or more children relinquished in hospital units 0 29 1 Source: World Bank, Community Census of Families with Children coming from 30 Rural Source Communities (September-October 2018). Notes: SPS = Special Protection System. (*)If we exclude the cases with one single risk, namely the risk related to the child in the protection system, the share drops to 76%. (**) Cells with less than 5 cases. Table 9: Diagnosis of the risk situations related to the state of health to which children present in households from 30 rural source communities are exposed to, according to the type of household (with or without children in SPS) (% of households) Households Households Total number WITHOUT THAT HAVE of households children in the children in the in which at Risk indicators SPS, where at SPS, in which least one least one at least one family is at family nucleus family nucleus risk… is at risk … is at risk… Total of households studied in those 30 source communities: - Number 5.685 155 5.840 96 -% 100 100 100 3. STATE OF HEALTH 28 50 28 a. The family has one or more members with chronic and transmissible diseases 10 18 10 b. The family has one or more members who are not enrolled on a family MD's list 5 16 5 c. There is a pregnant woman in the family who is not enrolled on a family MD's list <1 (**) <1 d. The family has infants who are not enrolled on a family MD's list <1 (**) 1 e. The family has one or more children who are not enrolled on a family MD's list 1 6 1 f. The family has one or more children who are not vaccinated 5 12 6 g. The family has one or more poly- hospitalized children, although they have no 4 6 4 chronic and transmissible disease h1. The family has one or more children under 1 year of age facing a health risk 7 10 7 ─ 1. unvaccinated children under 1 year of age 1 (**) 1 ─2. children under 1 year of age with low birth weight (less than 2,500 grams) 1 (**) 1 ─ 3. a child who does not receive vitamin D and iron 2 (**) 2 ─ 4. children under 6 months of age who are not exclusively breast-fed 2 3 2 ─ 5. children over 6 months and under 1 year of age who do not have a suitably diversified 3 (**) 3 diet ─ 6. children under 1 year of age who are not in compliance with the development 3 5 3 standards h2. In the family there is a pregnant woman with a pregnancy at risk (pregnancy is not registered with a family MD, the pregnant 2 6 2 woman had no prenatal checks or the pregnancy was not desired) Source: World Bank, Community Census of Families with Children coming from 30 Rural Source Communities (September-October 2018). Notes: SPS = Special Protection System. (**) Cells with less than 5 cases. Half of the households with children in the SPS, compared to 28% of the other households, are exposed to at least one health risk situation (Table 9). The most common risks refer to the members with chronic and transmissible diseases, the members who are not enrolled on a family MD's list (including children), children who are not vaccinated, children under one year facing health risks (most often, the children under 1 year of age who are not in compliance with the development standards). In addition, the pregnancies at risk (unreported, unmonitored, and undesired) have a percentage three times higher among the households with children in the SPS (6% versus 2%). The households with children in the SPS have a particularly serious situation also regarding the education dimension. Overall, 70% of the households with children in the SPS are exposed to at least one risk situation related to the education level, compared to 33% of the other households (Table 10). On the one hand, in over half (55%) of the households with children in the SPS one or both parents are illiterate. The lack of education of the parents is associated with both occasional employment 97 in the informal sector (hence, income insecurity) and a high risk of poverty, with the poverty risk of these households being over 56%. Figure 4: Educational risks to which the children in the households in poverty are exposed to (% of households) 17 16 16 16 10 9 8 6 6 5 4 4 3 2 i. The family has b. The family has c1. The family has c2. The family has d. The family has e. The family has f. The family has one or more one or more one or more one or more one or more one or more one or more children who children of children of children of 6-15 children with children with children with a have never school age 6-15 years years low school poor school history of been enrolled (6-15 years of of age who have of age at risk attendance or performance punishment in in a kindergarten age) who do not dropped out of dropping repeating a (with second schools (expulsion, or school attend of school out of school school year examinations, low grade because compulsory etc.) of behavior etc.) education Non-poor households Poor households Source: World Bank, Community Census of Families with Children coming from 30 Rural Source Communities (September-October 2018). Note: Non-poor households (N = 4.637); Households in poverty (N = 1.203). On the other hand, the illiteracy of the parents together with the poverty means that the family neither knows, nor appreciates or invests in the education of the children. Therefore, the children from these households (i.e., also from the households with children in the SPS) have a significantly higher risk of never being enrolled in school or not attending, dropping out or leaving school early. And if they go to school, they have a considerable risk of not attending the classes daily, having poor school performance – second examinations, repeating school years - or having a history of punishment in school (see Figure 4 and Table 10). Therefore, the chances of the children from these households to break the vicious circle of poverty are very low, many of them being at risk of inheriting the poverty from their parents. 98 Table 10: Diagnosis of the risk situations related to the level of education to which the children present in households from 30 rural source communities are exposed to, according to the type of household (with or without children in the SPS) (% of households) Households Households Total number WITHOUT THAT HAVE of households children in the children in the in which at Risk indicators SPS, where at SPS, in which least one least one at least one family is at family nucleus family nucleus risk… is at risk … is at risk… Total of households studied in those 30 source communities: - Number 5.685 155 5.840 -% 100 100 100 4. LEVEL OF EDUCATION 33 70 34 a. One or both parents are illiterate 14 55 15 b. The family has one or more children of school age (6-15 years of age) who do not 6 22 7 attend compulsory education c1. The family has one or more children of 6- 15 years of age who have dropped out of 3 10 3 school early c2. The family has one or more children of 6- 15 years of age at risk of dropping out of 8 21 8 school d. The family has one or more children with low school attendance or repeating a school 8 20 8 year e. The family has one or more children with poor school performance (with second 6 15 6 examinations etc.) f. The family has one or more children with a history of punishment in schools (expulsion, 5 14 5 low grade because of behaviour etc.) g. The family has a large number of children (3 or more) aged for 13 19 13 nursery/preschool/school education h. The family has one or more children with special educational needs 3 5 3 i. The family has one or more children who have never been enrolled in a kindergarten 5 15 6 or school: ─ 1. preschool children 4 10 4 ─ 2. children aged between 7-9 years 1 6 1 ─ 3. children aged between 10-15 years 1 6 2 Source: World Bank, Community Census of Families with Children coming from 30 Rural Source Communities (September-October 2018). Note: SPS = Special Protection System. In the households with children in the SPS, the children left at home not only have the chances not to attend formal education, but also grow up in a family environment characterized by the criminal and/or promiscuous behaviours of their parents. Table 11 shows that 71% of the households with children in the SPS are exposed to one or more risk situations related to risk behaviours, primarily of the parents, and which are also copied by the teenagers from the household. The corresponding percentage at the level of the households without children in the SPS is of 47%. 99 The share of the households at risk of violence against children is almost double in the households with children in the SPS compared to the other households (37% versus 19%). Also, the share of the households at risk of neglecting the children is twice as high (28% versus 13%). Multiple studies101 have shown that the risk factors associated with child abuse and neglect include parental behaviours and characteristics such as parents using alcohol and drugs, domestic violence, a parent with disabilities or mental health problems (especially in the case of mothers), promiscuous behaviour of the parents and/or criminal behaviour (hence, police history and/or problems). All these individual risk factors have a significantly higher frequency in the households that have children in the SPS (Table 11). Moreover, as we have shown above, the individual risk factors join the structural risk factors such as poverty. Therefore, in the households with children in the SPS, the children left at home are exposed, to a much greater extent than the children from the other households, to ill-treatment (in one or several types). The situation of the households with children in the SPS is just as worrying also regarding the living conditions. Eighty-one percent of these households are in one or more risk situations related to housing, compared to 49% of the other households (Table 12). Thus, in important shares, the households with children in the SPS are in overcrowded dwellings, without access to utilities (especially to water sources and electricity), in improper conditions or encounter problems regarding the safety of the dwelling (leakage through the roof, wet walls, rotten or damaged windows/floors etc.). In addition, 39% do not have the minimum facilities necessary for the preparation of food, heating and basic furniture. And, in one out of every five households with children in the SPS, the dwelling is miserable. Six percent of the households with children in the SPS are in the worst situation. This is because they have children who live in improvised dwellings or in inappropriate places – huts, water houses, sewers, highly degraded buildings, caves, shacks etc. The corresponding share in the households without children in the SPS is three times lower (2%). The entrance door, the hallway, the window and the sleeping area in a house with children in the SPS 101For example: Munro (2005), Frederick and Goddard (2007), Wood (2008), Jeffreys et al. (2009), Munro, Taylor and Bradbury-Jones (2013), Stănculescu, Grigoraș, Teșliuc and Pop (coord.) (2016). 100 Table 11: Diagnosis of the risk situations related to the risk behaviours to which the children present in households from 30 rural source communities are exposed to, according to the type of household (with or without children in SPS) (% of households) Households Households Total number WITHOUT THAT HAVE of households children in the children in the in which at Risk indicators SPS, where at SPS, in which least one least one at least one family is at family nucleus family nucleus risk… is at risk … is at risk… Total of households studied in those 30 source communities: - Number 5.685 155 5.840 -% 100 100 100 6. RISK BEHAVIOUR 47 71 48 a. The family has a history of complaints registered and confirmed by the local public administration authorities or the police about the anti-social behaviour of a family 6 21 6 member, such as criminal offenses, underage used in begging etc. b. In the family there is an aggressive behaviour of one or several members and/or a history of domestic violence, such as the 30 54 30 existence of complaints or protection orders: b1. There is a risk of domestic violence or abuse in the family 24 50 24 b2. A child in the family at risk of violence against children 19 37 19 b3. A child in the family at risk of neglecting children 13 28 13 c. Excessive consumption of alcohol in the family. 8 14 8 d. The family consumes or there is a history of consumption or abuse of psychotropic <1 0 <1 substances e1. There are one or more teenagers in the family who are at risk behaviour of sexual 17 28 17 activity e2. There are one or more teenagers in the family with risk behaviours for substance 11 24 12 abuse and violence Source: World Bank, Community Census of Families with Children coming from 30 Rural Source Communities (September-October 2018). Note: SPS = Special Protection System. Table 12: Diagnosis of the risk situations related to the living conditions to which the children present in the households of 30 rural source communities are exposed to, according to the type of household (with or without children in SPS) (% of households) Households Households Total number WITHOUT THAT HAVE of households children in the children in the in which at Risk indicators SPS, where at SPS, in which least one least one at least one family is at family nucleus family nucleus risk… 101 is at risk … is at risk… Total of households studied in those 30 source communities: - Number 5.685 155 5.840 -% 100 100 100 5. DWELLING CONDITIONS 49 81 50 a. The family occupies abusively, without the right of residence, certain living premises, <1 (**) <1 illegally built premises included b1. The family lives in an improvised dwelling, in areas not intended for this purpose - huts, water houses, sewers, highly 2 6 2 degraded buildings, caves, shacks etc. c. The family does not have enough living space relative to the number of persons; the 38 57 38 dwelling is overcrowded d. The family has no access to utilities, especially to water and electricity 16 48 17 e. The family does not have the minimum necessary facilities for the preparation of food, for heating and neither the basic 11 39 12 furniture. f. The housing is not maintained, lack of hygiene 4 21 5 g. The family lives in improper conditions/encounters matters of home security (leakage through the roof, wet 17 44 18 walls, rotten or damaged windows/floors etc.) Source: World Bank, Community Census of Families with Children coming from 30 Rural Source Communities (September-October 2018) Note: SPS = Special Protection System. (**) Cells with less than 5 cases. Ca House in which children live in a rural source community 102 In general, the households with children in the SPS are in an unfavourable situation compared to the other households, regardless of the dimension that we refer to: they are poorer, they live in low-quality dwellings, have atypical demographic behaviour, they have poor health and behaviours that are harmful for the health, have a low level of education and the children seem to follow the model of the parents and have violent, promiscuous or criminal behaviours that are passed from parents to teenagers. As said, four out of every five of these households have children left at home, in addition to the children in the special protection system. And these children have a considerable risk of abuse and neglect. Figure 5: Overview of the risk situations to which children present in the households of 30 rural source communities are exposed to, according to the dimension and the type of household (with or without children in the SPS) (% of households) 81 76 70 71 54 50 49 47 44 30 33 28 1. ECONOMIC 2. SOCIAL 3. STATE OF 4. LEVEL OF 5. DWELLING 6. RISK BEHAVIOR SITUATION SITUATION HEALTH EDUCATION CONDITIONS Gospodării FĂRĂ copii în SPS, în care cel puțin un nucleu familial este la riscuri legate de … Gospodării CARE AU și copii în SPS, în care cel puțin un nucleu familial este la riscuri legate de … Source: World Bank, Community Census of Families with Children coming from 30 Rural Source Communities (September-October 2018). Note: Households without children in the SPS (N = 5,685); Households with children in the SPS (N = 155). SPS = Special Protection System. The chart shows the share of households in one or more risk situations for each dimension. Also, taking into account the entire grid of risk indicators, it is found that the households with children in the SPS tend to cumulate vulnerabilities (see Table 13 and Figure 6). If the households without children in the SPS are exposed, on average, to 3.7 risk situations, 102 the households with children in the SPS face 5.3 risks, on average, 103 if they do not have children at home anymore, respectively 10.7 risks, on average,104 if they also have children left at home. At the same time, the share of the households facing 11-23 risk situations is of only 6% of the households without children in the SPS, as well as of the households with children in the SPS and with no children left at home, while it increases by almost nine times (52%) in the case of the households with children in the SPS who also have children at home (Table 13). And because these households tend to have many children at home, the share of children present in the households with over 10 risks is even higher, of 65% (Figure 6). These results confirm the previous studies 105 showing that most cases of separation of the child from the family are not based on a single cause, but on a complex of vulnerabilities. In most cases, the separation of the child from the family is associated with a combination of factors including poverty, occasional jobs in the informal sector, precarious housing, illiteracy of the parents, absence from school or school dropout, improper parenting competencies, domestic violence, increased risk of neglect and child abuse (due to parents ’ alcohol abuse), underage parents, single parents, marital instability, various unfortunate events such as the death of one of the parents, a serious accident, the detention of one of the parents, a low level of expectations and self esteem, as well as learned helplessness. 102 Standard deviation of 3.6. 103 Standard deviation of 3.0. 104 Standard deviation of 4.8. 105For example, Stănculescu, Marin and Popp (2012), Stănculescu, Grigoraș, Teșliuc and Pop (coord.) (2016). 103 Table 13: Diagnosis of the risk situations to which the children present in households from 30 rural source communities are exposed to, depending on the number of risks that they cumulate and on the type of household (with or without children in the SPS, respectively) (% of households) Households Households THAT HAVE THAT HAVE Households children in children in Total of WITHOUT the SPS and the SPS and household children in do NOT have HAVE s the SPS children at children at home home Total of households studies: - Number 5.685 32 123 5.840 -% 100 100 100 100 Number of risks per household With no risk 15 0 0 15 With one risk 17 13 2 16 With 2-5 risks 45 44 16 44 With 6-10 risks 17 38 30 18 With 11-15 risks 5 6 34 6 With 16-23 risks 1 0 18 1 Average number of risks per household 3,7 5,3 10,7 3,9 Source: World Bank, Community Census of Families with Children coming from 30 Rural Source Communities (September-October 2018). Note: SPS = Special Protection System. Figure 6: Distribution of the children present in the households from 30 rural source communities, according to the number of risks that they cumulate and the type of household (with or without children in SPS, respectively) (% of children) 41 38 27 25 23 Children in households without 11 12 children enrolled in the SPS 9 10 3 0 1 No risk One risk 2-5 risks 6-10 risks 11-15 risks 16-23 risks Source: World Bank, Community Census of Families with Children coming from 30 Rural Source Communities (September-October 2018). Note: Children in households without children in the SPS (N = 11,400); Children in the households with children in SPS and have children at home (N = 362). SPS = special protection system. The main novelty of this study consists in two findings: (1) The risk identification sheet is a useful tool in order to identify the risk of separation of the child from the family. If a household with children is exposed to over ten of the risk 104 situations listed in Table 1, then there is a real risk for the separation of the child from the family, and the quarterly monitoring of the family 106 is not sufficient, but a preventive intervention is urgently needed. At least in the rural source communities, the households cumulating more than ten risk situations represent about 7% of all the households, and 14% of all the children from the community live in these households. For example, about 1,700 children at risk of family separation (i.e. in the households with 11-23 risks) were identified in those 48 villages from 30 analysed communities. Although the approach based on the number of risks is tempting because it could significantly simplify the decision process of the community workers, there are aspects to pay attention to. First of all, as already mentioned in the report, the legislation is very clear with respect to the cases in which the data points out to a possible situation of abuse, neglect, exploitation or any other form of violence against the child. In this case, no matter how high or low is the total number of risks, the SPAS have the obligation to immediately notify the DGASPC, and in their turn DGASPC have the obligation to verify the suspicion within 48 hours and to act according to the legal provisions in force. Second, considering that there is no significant single risk indicator that discriminates well between the families with children separated from them and the other families, and that the high number (above 10) is indeed a good proxy for the risk of separation, the development of a preventive mechanism through which all these cases are being raised for advice and possibly action to the DGASPC level could be an useful option to make sure that no case at high risk falls between the cracks of the system. However, the number of risks is only a “mechanical criterion� and the social worker, based on each unique case, may reach out to the DGASPCs for other cases as well so that those who may be in acute need are not missed. (2) The children left at home in the households with children in the special protection system are to a great extent exposed to the risk of separation. Their chances of being abused or neglected are significantly higher than those of the children from other households. The rights of these children are greatly violated. The solution is not to separate these children from the family, but to provide the access of these households to the benefits and services that they need and that they have the legal right to. Most of these households do not have the resources necessary in order to cope, on their own, with the complex hardships that they face. SPASs (Social Assistance Public Service) do not have the ability to solve, by themselves, the problems associated with the communities with many such households. The development of a national program aimed at the source communities and the marginalized areas would be the optimal solution. Preventing the separation of the child from the family can only be carried out by developing, within these communities, services granting support to the families and granting increased access to medical care, education, employment, proper housing and other public services. For that purpose, integrated services should be created in order to ensure the harmonization and the alignment of various programs and interventions with the help of social workers and of other workers/professionals that are empowered and well-trained, both individually and at Community level, as well as the budget allocation enabling the implementation of these services. Carrying out such a complex program depends on the capacity to coordinate different public and private actors, as well as central and local authorities, but also on the capacity to identify and the willing to allocate proper funds to cover the costs involved in such a program. 106According to GD no. 691/2016, art. 11. 105 Output #6 3 MONITORING AND EVALUATION PLAN TO ENSURE THE TRANSITION FROM INSTITUTIONAL CARE TO COMMUNITY-BASED CARE 106 3. MONITORING AND EVALUATION PLAN TO ENSURE THE TRANSITION FROM INSTITUTIONAL CARE TO COMMUNITY- BASED CARE Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) are systematic activities of data collection, analysis and reporting, which allow tracking the progress towards achieving the planned results, the objectives set, measuring to what extent the changes envisaged by some interventions actually occurred in reality, as well as identifying the factors that influenced these changes. These two activities are complementary and play an important part as a management tool, for better planning and using the resources, as a progress tracking tool, by highlighting what ’s working, what is not working and why and, last but not least, as a decision-making tool for future actions. When it comes to closing down the traditional placement centers and ensuring the transition from institutional to community-based care, monitoring and evaluation are essential for each child and family, as well as for the newly created services. As children are the main beneficiaries of the deinstitutionalization process, monitoring and evaluation should be centered on them and on their families. Closing down placement centers would not be sustainable without measures designed to prevent the child and family separation and to reduce entries into the child care system. Consequently, the M&E does not only consider closing down the traditional institutions, but also developing community-based prevention services. At the same time, this plan does not focus only on monitoring and evaluating the individual plans for closing down placement centers, but also the measures in the National Strategy for the protection and promotion of children’s rights. Last but not least, when transitioning to community-based care it is important not to replicate the institutional culture or to recreate the institutional care practices in the newly created services. That is why, on one hand, it is necessary to monitor and evaluate the training of staff in these new services and, on the other hand, to have new quality standards for care, that focus on the quality of life and children’s rights, not on the technical and organizational aspects of the service provider. The system of indicators proposed in this M&E plan has two types of indicators: process, designed to monitor the progress in the implementation of deinstitutionalization plans and in creating new services, and result, designed to measure to what extent the activities implemented under the deinstitutinalization process have reached the proposed objectives. The indicators planned to be monitored are broken down into seven levels, corresponding to the stages and objectives proposed in the plans for closing down the traditional placement centers; 1. Monitoring at the level of placement center that is to be closed down, during the preparation and relocation phase 2. Monitoring during the post-relocation phase, at the level of placement centers closed-down or in process of closing down 3. Post-relocation monitoring, at the level of residential services such as group homes and apartments that have been created under the deinstitutionalization plans 4. Monitoring the services aimed at preventing child and family separation and support for the child and family, that are newly created in the community 5. Monitoring the staff employed in the newly created services 6. Case management monitoring 7. Monitoring the overall impact on the special protection system 107 3.1. M&E Indicators for implementing individual plans for closing down traditional placement centers and ensuring the transition from institutional to community-based care Type of Data source/ Person Indicators Aggregation level Periodicity indicator Method responsible 1. At the level of placement center that is to be closed down, during the preparation and relocation phase Number of children and young people on the Process E-cuib - Children A disaggregation by Project When starting the nominal list, depending on the solution and young people’s gender, age and disability, manager / M&E project identified in the future plans: future plans at the level of each center specialist implementation; • (Re)integration into the child’s natural updated every family three months if the • Socio-professional integration solutions proposed • Adoption change • integration into the extended family, without a protection measure • Placement with relatives up to the 4th degree • Placement with other families/people • Foster care • Placement in a group home (CTF) or apartment (AP) • Exceptional placement in another residential service • Other alternative measures Number of children and young people on the Process E-cuib - Children A disaggregation by Project When starting the nominal list, that are part of sibling groups, for and young people’s gender, age, disability and manager / M&E project which: future plans, size of the sibling groups, specialist implementation; • The same solution has been decided in the Individual at the level of each center updated every future plans Relocation three months if the • Different solutions have been decided in Preparation solutions proposed the future plans Program change Type of Data source/ Person Indicators Aggregation level Periodicity indicator Method responsible Number of children and young people, Process E-cuib - Individual A disaggregation by Project Quarterly depending on the readiness of relocating them Relocation gender, age and disability, manager / M&E to a new living environment: Preparation at the level of each center specialist • The preparation stage has not started yet Program • Preparation for relocation is on-going • The preparation for relocation was finalized Number of children and young people that Process E-cuib - Post- A disaggregation by Project Quarterly exited the placement center, by reason: relocation support gender, age, disability and manager / M&E • (Re)integration into the child’s natural and monitoring newly set-up/existing specialist family reports service, at the level of • Socio-professional integration/ started each center living independently • Adopted • integration into the extended family, without a protection measure • Placement with relatives up to the 4th degree • Placement with other families/people • Foster care • Placement in a CTF or AP • Exceptional placement in another residential service • Another reason 2. At the level of placement centers that were closed down or in process of closing down Number of children that received the support Process E-cuib - Post- A disaggregation by Project Quarterly 109 Type of Data source/ Person Indicators Aggregation level Periodicity indicator Method responsible services and benefits in the Future Plan, relocation support service/intervention/benef manager / M&E according to the needs identified by specialists and monitoring it at the level of each specialist reports center Number of families that received the support Process E-cuib - Post- A disaggregation by Project Quarterly services and benefits in the Future Plan relocation support service/intervention/benef manager / M&E and monitoring it at the level of each specialist reports center Number of children/young people for which Result E-cuib - Post- A disaggregation by Project Quarterly there is a throwback or the situation has relocation support gender/ age/ living manager / M&E worsened, including in terms of access to and monitoring environment/ disability, at specialist support or specialized services, by field: reports the level of each center • Health and nutrition • Recovering development delays • Education/ school situation • Independent living skills • Relationship with the family/person looking after him/her • Psychological/ emotional wellbeing • Interpersonal relations • Social inclusion/ community participation • Behaviour • Living conditions/ financial wellbeing Number of children for whom the solution in Process E-cuib - Post- A disaggregation by Project Quarterly the Future plan was changed relocation support gender/ age/ living manager / M&E and monitoring environment/ disability, at specialist reports the level of each center Quality of life for deinstitutionalized children, Result Annual survey A disaggregation by M&E Specialist Annually by dimensions among the gender/ age/ living in each county beneficiaries of environment/ disability, at deinstitutionalizati the level of each center on 3. At the level of newly set-up small residential services (group homes and apartments) 110 Type of Data source/ Person Indicators Aggregation level Periodicity indicator Method responsible No of group homes and apartments newly Result DGASPC database At the DGASPC level M&E Specialist Annually created during the year in each county Total capacity of newly created group homes Result DGASPC database At service level M&E Specialist Annually and apartments in each county No of children/young people living in CTFs and Result DGASPC database At service level M&E Specialist Annually APs newly created at the end of the year in each county No of children/young people living in newly Result DGASPC database At service level M&E Specialist Annually created CTFs and APs at the end of the year, in each county coming from placement centers that were closed down Total number of employees in the newly Process DGASPC database At service level M&E Specialist Annually created CTFs and APs, by specialization in each county Total operating costs for the CTF and AP Process DGASPC budget A disaggregation by type of M&E Specialist Annually services execution expenditure, at the level in each county of each center Average cost per beneficiary Process DGASPC budget At service level M&E Specialist Annually execution in each county The care environment, evaluated on the 4 Result Monitoring visits/ At service level ANPDCA Annually dimensions: (i) isolation, segregation; (ii) Independent infrastructure; (iii) health and security and (iv) evaluation care staff. Quality of care, evaluated on the 3 dimensions: Result Monitoring visits/ At service level ANPDCA Annually (i) services and activities available in the child Independent development center; (ii) interactions between evaluation children and staff in the center, and (iii) implementation of minimum quality standards and case management. 4. At the level of services designed to prevent child and family separation and to support families and children 111 Type of Data source/ Person Indicators Aggregation level Periodicity indicator Method responsible No of communities where there is at least one Result Annual SPAS survey At DGASPC level, M&E Specialist Annually prevention service on social services disaggregation by type in each county provider/locality No of existing prevention/reintegration social Result Annual SPAS survey At locality-level, a M&E Specialist Annually services , by type of service on social services disaggregation by type of in each county provider Total capacity of the prevention/reintegration Process Annual SPAS survey At locality-level, a M&E Specialist Annually services, by type of services on social services disaggregation by type of in each county provider Total no of beneficiaries (children/young Result Annual SPAS survey At locality-level, a M&E Specialist Annually people/families) of prevention/reintegration on social services disaggregation by type of in each county services, by type of service provider No of prevention/reintegration services newly Result Annual SPAS survey At locality-level, a M&E Specialist Annually created during the year, by type of service on social services disaggregation by type of in each county provider Total capacity of the newly created Process Annual SPAS survey At locality-level, a M&E Specialist Annually prevention/reintegration services, by type of on social services disaggregation by type of in each county services provider Total no of beneficiaries (children/young Result Annual SPAS survey At locality-level, a M&E Specialist Annually people/families) of newly created on social services disaggregation by type of in each county prevention/reintegration services, by type of provider service Total number of families with at-risk children, Result Annual SPAS survey At locality-level, a M&E Specialist Annually at the end of the year on social services disaggregation by type of in each county vulnerability Number of families with children in at-risk Result Annual SPAS survey At locality-level, a M&E Specialist Annually situations newly identified along the year on social services disaggregation by type of in each county vulnerability 112 Type of Data source/ Person Indicators Aggregation level Periodicity indicator Method responsible No of families with children in at-risk Result Annual SPAS survey At locality-level, a M&E Specialist Annually situations, newly identified, that were on social services disaggregation by type of in each county supported by the local authorities, by type of vulnerability support received Total number of employees in the Process Annual SPAS survey At service level, a M&E Specialist Annually prevention/reintegration services, by on social services disaggregation by type of in each county specialization provider Total operational expenditures incurred with Process Annual SPAS survey At locality level, M&E Specialist Annually the prevention/reintegration social services on social services disaggregation by type of in each county provider and type of locality 5. At the level of staff in the system Total number of employees in the newly Process DGASPC database A disaggregation by M&E Specialist Every semester created CTFs and APs with human category of employee, in each county resources level of education, seniority in the child care system, at the level of each center total number of employees in the newly Process DGASPC database A disaggregation by M&E Specialist Every semester created CTFs and APs, coming from the closed- with human category of employee, in each county down residential services resources level of education, seniority in the child care system, at the level of each center Total number of employees in the newly Process DGASPC database A disaggregation by M&E Specialist Every semester created CTFs and APs, coming from other with human category of employee, in each county residential services resources level of education, seniority in the child care system, at the level of each center Total number and share of new employees in Process DGASPC database A disaggregation by M&E Specialist Every semester the CTFs and APs that were newly created with human category of employee, in each county 113 Type of Data source/ Person Indicators Aggregation level Periodicity indicator Method responsible resources level of education, seniority in the child care system, at the level of each center Total number and share of employees in the Process Annual staff survey A disaggregation by M&E Specialist Annually newly created CTFs and APs, that attended category of employee, in each county training in the past year level of education, seniority in the child care system, training topics, at the level of each center Total number of AMPs (foster carers) Process DGASPC database At locality level, a M&E Specialist Every semester with human disaggregation by number in each county resources of children received in foster care, children ages, disabilities Total number of AMPs newly hired during the Process DGASPC database At locality level, a M&E Specialist Every semester year with human disaggregation by number in each county resources of children received in foster care, children ages, disabilities Total number of AMPs that attended Process DGASPC database At locality-level, a M&E Specialist Every semester development/further development trainings with human disaggregation by training in each county resources topics 6. At the case management level Total number of case managers Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester with human disaggregation by type of in each county resources service, category of children, depending on how each DGASPC is organized and years of experience as a CM 114 Type of Data source/ Person Indicators Aggregation level Periodicity indicator Method responsible Total number of employees that during the Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester year became case managers with human disaggregation by type of in each county resources service, category of children, depending on how each DGASPC is organized and years of experience as a CM Total number of people that during the year Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester relinquished their case manager role with human disaggregation by type of in each county resources service, category of children, depending on how each DGASPC is organized and years of experience as a CM Average number of active cases for a case Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester manager disaggregation by type of in each county service, category of children, depending on how each DGASPC is organized and years of experience as a CM Total number and share of children in child Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester care that have a case manager that doesn’t disaggregation by type of in each county also represent the service provider service, category of children, depending on how each DGASPC is organized and years of experience as a CM Total number and share of children coming Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester from centers planned to be closed down, that disaggregation by type of in each county have a case manager that doesn’t also service, category of represent the service provider children, depending on how each DGASPC is 115 Type of Data source/ Person Indicators Aggregation level Periodicity indicator Method responsible organized and years of experience as a CM Total number and share of children in child Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester care, for whom the case manager changed disaggregation by type of in each county during the year service, category of children, depending on how each DGASPC is organized and years of experience as a CM Total number and share of children coming Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester from centers planned to be closed down, for disaggregation by type of in each county whom the case manager changed during the service, category of year children, depending on Process how each DGASPC is organized and years of experience as a CM Number of ISP implementation reports Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester disaggregation by type of in each county respectively of personalized service, category of programs/case/year children, depending on how each DGASPC is organized Number of reevaluation/case/year reports Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester disaggregation by type of in each county service, category of children, depending on how each DGASPC is organized Annual number of cases in which the plans Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester were reviewed disaggregation by type of in each county service, category of children, depending on how each DGASPC is 116 Type of Data source/ Person Indicators Aggregation level Periodicity indicator Method responsible organized Number of post-services monitoring plans Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester drafted by the CM disaggregation by type of in each county service, category of children, depending on how each DGASPC is organized Number of post-services monitoring reports Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester drafted by the CM disaggregation by type of in each county service, category of children, depending on how each DGASPC is organized Number of case closing decisions Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester disaggregation by type of in each county service, category of children, depending on how each DGASPC is organized Number of CMs that attended Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester professional/continuous development trainings disaggregation by type of in each county service, category of children, depending on how each DGASPC is organized Number of CMs that were supervised during the Process DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Every semester year disaggregation by type of in each county service, category of children, depending on how each DGASPC is organized 117 Type of Data source/ Person Indicators Aggregation level Periodicity indicator Method responsible 7. Impact on the special care system Total number of children in the special care Result DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Quarterly system, by type of placement disaggregation by gender, in each county age and disability of children Number of cases newly recorded in the SPS Result DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Quarterly during the year, by causes and type of disaggregation by gender, in each county placement age and disability of children Number of cases that exited the SPS in the Result DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Quarterly year, by reasons disaggregation by gender, in each county age and disability of children Number of SPS cases that exited the residential Result DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Quarterly services in the year, by path disaggregation by gender, in each county age and disability of children Number of SPS cases that exited group home Result DGASPC database At DGASPC level, a M&E Specialist Quarterly services in the year, by path disaggregation by gender, in each county age and disability of children 118 3.2. Impact assessment of the deinstitutionalization process After completing the process of closing down placement centers, it is necessary to conduct an independent assessment of the impact it had on children in institutions and their families, on preventing child and family separation and, last but not least, on replacing the �institutional culture� and the care practices in traditional placement centers with one centered on children, their rights to live in a family environment and on their individual needs. The assessment should be done five years after initiating the deinstitutionalization process. The assessment criteria will include the five standard OECD-DAC criteria: impact, relevance, efficacy, efficiency and sustainability. Starting from this criteria, an assessment matrix will be developed, with assessment questions and indicators to be used. 3.3. Data sources and information management While preparing the methodology for closing down the placement centers and drafting the closing down plans, a high volume of information on children in the centers and on existing services has already been gathered and analyzed using standardized instruments. This information is already on the E-cuib platform and will serve as an initial data source for some of the indicators proposed. Out of the already existing information, the most used will be the future plans for children and young people in the centers. At the same time, additional instruments have been developed, designed to monitor the relocation preparation and the post-relocation phase, which are to be used once the deinstitutionalization plans start to be implemented. We refer mainly to these two instruments: Individual Relocation Preparation Program and Post-relocation support and monitoring reports. These two will be supplemented by the instruments already in use for case management, which are provided under the law. Apart from the already-mentioned data from administrative sources, we propose conducting three annual surveys during the three years of implementation of the plans for closing down placement centers, as follows: • annual survey among the beneficiaries of deinstitutionalization, designed to gather data on the quality of life of deinstitutionalized children, from children and persons/families that look after them; • Annual staff survey, an online survey aimed at collecting data from all those working in the already existing or newly created DGASPC services, as well as from AMPs and case managers within the SPASs, focusing on organizational culture, initial and continuous training and problems incurred in the day-to-day activity. • Annual SPAS survey on the social services developed, identifying families with children in vulnerable situations and assessing services needs; Moreover, the community-level M&E activities and instruments are discussed in section 1.1.4.4. The high volume of data gathered requires for it to be managed by an IT system that interacts with multiple databases. To this end, it is necessary to develop the E-cuib platform, in order to centralize the monitoring information gathered from the preparation and implementation of the deinstitutionalization plans. Additional instruments needed to collect and manage monitoring data (sheets, questionnaires, centralization templates, report models, database structure) will be developed at a later stage, together with the M&E operational manual. Based on these, at least three training sessions for the M&E specialists from the teams implementing the close-down plans will be organized. 3.4. Roles and responsibilities Person/ institution Roles responsible • Coordinating all preparation, implementation activities and ANPDCA updating of the M&E plan • Developing the final methodology and the instruments used to monitor and evaluate the deinstitutionalization process; • Developing the information management system • Developing the operational manual • Organizing trainings for the M&E specialists in the implementation teams • Analyzing monitoring data • Producing the quarterly and annual monitoring reports • Reviewing and updating the M&E plan • Provide feedback on the M&E methodology • Approves the M&E methodology • Maintains the relationship with the implementation teams at county/local level • Manages the IT system for M&E • Disseminates the M&E reports inside the system and to other stakeholders • Manage the M&E information management system at county M&E specialists from DGASPC level; • Coordinate and oversee the implementation of the M&E plan at county level • Processes and manages the M&E data related to the M&E specialist in the implementation of the plan for closing down the placement implementation team center • Coordinates and oversees the data collection by case managers and/or other specialists in the implementation teams • Data collection using standardized instruments Case managers, other specialists in the implementation teams 3.5. Reporting and dissemination The monitoring activities will be carried out continuously during the 3 years planned for preparing and implementing the deinstitutionalization plans. Quarterly progress reports will be produced based on the monitoring data from the administrative sources. There will also be an annual progress report that will also include the analysis of data received from the three surveys carried out during the year. Five years after starting the implementation of the deinstitutionalization plans, an impact assessment report will be produced by an independent organization. The dissemination of the monitoring and evaluation reports will fall on the ANPDCA, which will also collect the feedback from the internal and external stakeholders and will make proposals to improve the M&E plan and methodology. 120 Output #6 4 IDENTIFICATION OF CHILDREN EXPOSED TO THE RISK OF SEPARATION IN AT LEAST 30 SOURCE COMMUNITIES 121 4. IDENTIFICATION OF CHILDREN EXPOSED TO THE RISK OF SEPARATION IN AT LEAST 30 SOURCE COMMUNITIES 4.1. Communes and villages for which the lists of children exposed to the risk of separation have been prepared In line with the RAS agreement, in 30 source communities, the children at risk of separation had been identified using the legislated instrument (GD no. 691/2015). The list of the 30 communes with the villages from which children have a higher probability of entering the system can be found below. County Commune Village(s) Alba Cetatea de Baltă Cetatea de Baltă Bihor Tinca Tinca, Gurbediu Botoșani Copălău Copălău Brașov Apața Apața Buzău Vernești Cândești Călărași Spanţov Stancea Caraș-Severin Berzovia Berzovia, Fizeș Cluj Mintiu Gherlii Nima, Mintiu Gherlii, Salatiu, Bunești Constanța Cogealac Cogealac Constanța Peștera Peștera, Ivrinezu Mare, Izvoru Mare Covasna Vîlcele Hețea Dâmbovița I.L.Caragiale I. L. Caragiale Dolj Orodel Orodel, Cornu Galați Măstăcăni Măstăcani, Chiraftei Gorj Bustuchin Bustuchin, Poiana Seciuri, Motorgi, Cionti, Valea Pojarului Harghita Ciucsângeorgiu Ciucsângeorgiu Hunedoara Turdaș Pricaz Ialomița Traian Traian Iași Voinești Slobozia Mehedinți Şimian Dudașu Mureș Albești Albești Neamț Vînători-Neamț Vînători-Neamț Prahova Valea Răchieri 122 Călugărească Sălaj Nușfalău Nuşfalău Satu Mare Botiz Botiz Sibiu Roșia Nou, Roșia Teleorman Brânceni Brânceni Timiș Sâmpetru Mare Sâmpetru Mare, Igriș Tulcea Topolog Topolog, Sîmbăta Nouă, Făgărașu Nou, Luminița Vâlcea Racovița Balotă 4.2 Template for a "Registry of at-risk children in the community" For each source communities an excel table with the children with risks identified has been prepared. In the excel file has the lines list all children in the community (organized by families), and the columns list as follows:107 No. Name and surname of the child Personal Numeric Code of the child Data from the Risk Identification Sheet (see section 1.2.2): • Unique ID number: __________________________ • Identification data of the family under observation (legal representative, residence) • Data on filling out the sheet (person and date) Results - Risk indicators on the observation sheet regarding (see Table 1): a) the economic situation of the family; (b) the social situation of the family; c) the health status of the family members; d) the level of education of the family members; e) the living conditions of the family; f) the existence of risk behaviours identified within the family. Conclusion of the risk identification sheet - It is necessary to work out a service plan? (Yes/No) In case the fill-in of the risk identification sheet confirms the existence of at least one risk situation (Table 1), the SPAS representative must prepare a service plan within 30 days.108 If Yes, there must be a service plan • The date of registration of the case in the Registry of at-risk children in the commune • Date of completion of the Service plan 107 Using the sample monitoring sheet provided under Art. 118 Paragraph (1) letter (a) of Law No. 272/2004, republished, as subsequently amended and supplemented (GD 691/2015 Article 13). 108 GD 691/2015 Art. 10. 123 • Name of the case officer for prevention • Function of the case officer for prevention Recommendations of the Service plan The service plan contains the services to be provided to respond to the identified needs of the child and of their family, and includes the types of services and benefits provided, the goal pursued by the plan, who shall provide the services and for what duration. The service plan is approved by order of the mayor. 109 A) Benefits (Yes / No) 1. State child allowance 2. Supplementary allowance 3. Support allowance for single parent families 4. Newborn allowance 5. Monthly food allowance for adults and children with HIV and AIDS 6. Home heating benefit 7. Guaranteed Minimum Income 8. Other (please specify) B) Services (Yes/No) Services to prevent family separation 1. Day care centre 2. Day care and recovery centre for disabled children 3. Counselling and support center for parents 4. Help and support center for rehabilitation of children with psychosocial problems 5. Services for monitoring, assistance and support of pregnant woman prone to child relinquishment 6. Other (please specify) Health services Education services Rehabilitation services Other (please specify) Monitoring of the implementation of the Service plan and, if necessary, review thereof The SPAS representative monitors the implementation of the Service plan by visits to the home of families with children. • The total number of risk situations - the number of risk indicators confirmed following the analysis and interpretation of the data in the sheet • Monitoring of the implementation of the Service plan must be carried out by the case officer for prevention110 109 GD 691/2015 Art. 11. 124 1. annually or whenever necessary, if as a result of filling in the data sheet for risk identification, less than 5 risk situations in Table 1 are identified 2. half-yearly or whenever necessary, if as a result of filling in the data sheet for risk identification, 6 to 10 risk situations in Table 1 are identified 1. quarterly or whenever necessary, if as a result of filling in the data sheet for risk identification, more than 10 risk situationsin Table 1 are identified - As a result of the monitoring, it is necessary to revise the service plan? 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Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (2018) Programul Național de Dezvoltare Rurală, 7th version, August 10, 2018. Available at: http://www.madr.ro/docs/dezvoltare- rurala/2018/PNDR-2014-2020-versiunea-VII-aprobata-10-august-2018.pdf 19. Munro, E. (2005) �A Systems Approach to Investigating Child Abuse Deaths� in British Journal of Social Work, 35, p. 531�546 20. Munro, E., Taylor, J. S. and C. Bradbury�Jones (2013) �Understanding the causal pathways to child maltreatment: implications for health and social care policy and practice �, in Child Abuse Review, 23 (1). pp. 61�74. Available at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/51053/1/__lse.ac.uk_storage_LIBRARY_Secondary_libfile_shared_rep ository_Content_Munro,%20E_Understanding%20causal%20pathways_Munro_Understanding%20c ausal%20pathways_2014.pdf 21. Stănculescu, M. S. And Marin, M. (2012) Helping the invisible children.Evaluation Report . UNICEF, Bucharest: Vanemonde. Available at: http://www.unicef.org/romania/Raport_HIC_engleza.pdf 22. Stănculescu, M. S., Marin, M. and A. Popp (2012) Being a Child in Romania. A Multidimensional Diagnosis. UNICEF, Bucureşti: Vanemonde. Available at: http://www.unicef.org/romania/Being_a_child.pdf 23. Stănculescu, M.S., Grigoraș, V., Teșliuc, E. and Pop, V. (coord.) (2016) România: Copiii din sistemul de protecție a copilului. București: Editura Alpha MDN. Available at: http://www.unicef.ro/wp-content/uploads/Copiii-din-sistemul-de-protectie-a- copilului_UNICEF_ANPDCA_BM_2016.pdf 24. Teșliuc, E., Grigoraș, V., Stănculescu, M. (coord.) (2016) Dezvoltarea serviciilor sociale integrate la nivel comunitar - Programul SPOR. Bucharest: World Bank 25. The University of Nottingham (2012), Child Abandonment and its Prevention in Europe, European Commission DAPHNE Program Directorate-General Justice and Home Affairs in collaboration with the University of Nottingham , UK. Nottingham, UK: The University of Nottingham (Institute of Work, Health & Organizations) 26. UN - United Nations (2010) Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children. Available at: http://www.unicef.org/protection/alternative_care_Guidelines-English.pdf 27. Wood, J. (2008) Report of the Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW, Volumes 1�3. Sydney: State of NSW through the Special Commission of Inquiry into Chi ld Protection Services in NSW. Legal framework Order No. 1086/2018 from February 20, 2018 regarding the approval of the framework model of the annual Action plan regarding the social services managed and funded from the budget of county council/local council/General Council of Bucharest Municipality 127 GD no. 797/2017 regarding the approval of framework-regulations for the organization and operation of public services of social assistance and of the indicative structure of personnel GD no. 691/2015 on approving the procedure for monitoring the uppringing and care for children whose parents work abroad and the services they can receive, and on approving the Working Methodology regarding the collaboration between the Directorates-General of Social Assistance and Child Protection and the public social assistance services and the templates for the documents drafted by them Law no. 215/2001 of the local public administration Law no. 273/2006 of the local public finance Law no. 52/2003 regarding decisional transparency in public administration Law no. 292/2011 Law of social assistance 128 ANNEX 1 COUNTY CODES 129 ANNEX 1: County codes Code County 1 ALBA 2 ARAD 3 ARGES 4 BACAU 5 BIHOR 6 BISTRITA-NASAUD 7 BOTOSANI 9 BRAILA 8 BRASOV 10 BUZAU 51 CALARASI 11 CARAS-SEVERIN 12 CLUJ 13 CONSTANTA 14 COVASNA 15 DIMBOVITA 16 DOLJ 17 GALATI 52 GIURGIU 18 GORJ 19 HARGHITA 20 HUNEDOARA 21 IALOMITA 22 IASI 23 ILFOV 24 MARAMURES 25 MEHEDINTI 26 MURES 27 NEAMT 28 OLT 29 PRAHOVA 31 SALAJ 30 SATU-MARE 41 SECTOR 1 42 SECTOR 2 43 SECTOR 3 44 SECTOR 4 45 SECTOR 5 46 SECTOR 6 32 SIBIU 33 SUCEAVA 34 TELEORMAN 35 TIMIS 36 TULCEA 37 VASLUI 38 VILCEA 39 VRANCEA 130 ANNEX 2 WORKING TOOLS 131 ANNEX 2. Working tools A2.1. Template of an �Observatory of children in the community� Excel table, in which the lines comprise all children in the community (organized by families) and the column record: No Child’s name and surname Child’s personal identification number (CNP) Data in the observation sheet (see section 1.2.1): • Single identification number • Identification data of the family under observation • Data on filling out the sheet (person and date)111 Risk indicators in the Observation sheet, in respect to (see Table 1): a) family’s socio-economic status; b.) family’s social status; c) family members’ health; d) family members’ education level; e) family’s living conditions; f) if there are at-risk behaviours identified in the family. Conclusion in the observation sheet - Does the risk identification sheet need to be filled out? (Yes/No) If there is any suspicion about an at-risk situation - meaning any indicator in the Observation sheet has �1.yes� attached to it - then SPAS shall fill out the Risk identification sheet through home visits, to confirm/infirm and thoroughly document the risk situations the child is exposed to, and to prepare the service plan in view of preventing separation. If Yes, the risk identification sheet needs to be filled out • Name of the person that will make the home visit to fill out the sheet • Position occupied by the person that will make the home visit to fill out the sheet • Date when the home visit is schedule, to fill out the sheet SPAS should schedule the home visit to fill out the Risk identification sheet within 72 hours from filling out or receiving the Observation sheet.112 111 Unless there are no special circumstances, the sheet shall be updated after 12 months. 112 GD no. 691/2015, art. 8. 132 A2.2. Possible adjustments for the risk identification sheet If there are no children in the household (<18 years) and now children sent to the child care system ==> Neither the Observation sheet nor the Risks identification sheet shall apply If there are children in the household (<18 years) or there are children sent to the child care system ==> The Observation sheet shall be applied: • If all risk indicators have the value �0=no�, the case will be recorded in the Observatory of children in the community and STOP. • If there is at least one risk indicator with the value �1=yes�, the case will be recorded in the Observatory of children in the community and the Risks identification sheet shall be applied, to confirm or infirm the risk suspicions and to thoroughly diagnose the risks in the family. 1. GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1. Household composition Include everyone in the household Fill out the information below for each person in the household. Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable CPERS Person’s code in the household NAME Person’s name and surname 1 - head of the household 2 - husband/ wife/ concubine 3 - son/ daughter 4 - son/daughter-in-law Relationship with the head of 5 - grandson/granddaughter REL the household 6 - father/mother/ parent-in-law 7 - brother/sister/brother/sister-in-law 8 - another relative 9 - children in foster care 10 - not related 1 - male GENDER Gender 2 – female YY Birth year MM Birth month DD Birth day Does the person hold a birth 1 - yes ACTE1 certificate? 0 – no ACTE1 == 1 CNP Personal identification number 133 Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable 1 - yes AGE>13 ACTE2 Does the person hold an ID card? 0 – no 1 - Romanian 2 - Hungarian NAT Ethnicity 3 - Roma 4 - German 5 – other 1 - married 2 - concubine 3 - divorced STACIV Marital status 4 - separated 5 - single 6 – widow 1 - nothing graduated 2 - primary education (1- 4 grades) 3 - lower secondary (5 -8 grades) 4 - vocational, apprenticeship or complementary education 5 - compulsory education (grades 9 and 10) Highest level of education AGE>9 NIVE 6 - high school (9 -12 grades) graduated 7 - specialized post-secondary education or foreman school 8 - short-term university education/ college 9 - long-term university education (including Masters program) 10 – PhD 1 - yes Does the person have at least a 0 - no OTHERCHILD child under 27 in special care? 7 - not applicable, does not have children under 18 1 - employee, including women on maternity leave 2 - another working status (day worker, undeclared worker 3 - employer with employees 4 - independent worker, non-agricultural activities (authorized natural person (PFA), Family practice (AF), freelancer etc.) 5 - independent worker in the agricultural field 6 - family benefit 7 - unemployed, registered Main occupational status in the OCUP 8 - unemployed, not registered (no longer on past 12 months unemployment benefit/ support benefit and in search of a job) 9 - retired at the age limit 10 - another type of retired person 11 - pupil, student (Attention! Include children in kindergarten) 12 - housewife 13 - person unable to work 14 - another inactive status (preschooler that doesn’t go to kindergarten, kept person) 1 - is autonomous, that is he/she eats, gets The his/her day to day activity, dressed, moves alone AUTONOMY the person ... 2 - needs support for basic activities 3 - fully depends on others Does he/she benefit from 1 - yes AUTONOMY>1 INGR another person’s help 0 – no (attendant/care-taker)? 134 1.2. Family nuclei Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable Set the family nuclei and assign each family nucleus a code from 1 to n. The family nucleus can be comprised of: (1) a single person, of 18+; (2) adult couple (married or in a consensual union); (3) adult couple (married or in a consensual NUCLEUS_CODE union) or a single person, that are looking after other persons of 18+, pupils, students or dependents; (4) adult couple (married or in a consensual union) or a single person, that are looking after children and other dependents. Every person should be included in a family nucleus. 2. IDENTIFYING RISKS FOR EVERY PERSON Include everyone in the household Fill out the information below for each person in the household. 2.1. Children and parents Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable 1 - Yes AGE<18 MOMPREZ Is the mother present? 0 – No MOMPREZ=1 MOM Note the mother’s code (CPERS) 2 - left abroad to work 3 - left to study or work to another place in Romania 4 - in hospital, for short-term (max. 45 days) 5 - in hospital, for long-term (over 45 days) 6 - in jail MOMPREZ=0 ASKMOM Where is the mom? 7 - divorced/separated and moved out 11 - dead 12 - disappeared or declared dead by the courts 13 - unknown 22 - in an institution/ care center etc., on the long run Since when has the mom been MOMPREZ=0 ANMOM absent from the household (year)? 8 - person deprived of parental rights 9 - person subject to the criminal punishment of Is the mother in any of the AGE<18 SITMOM denying him/her parental rights following? 10 - person under a court injunction 0 - none of the situations 1 - Yes AGE<18 DADPREZ Is the father present? 0 – No 135 Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable DADPREZ=1 DAD Note the father’s code (CPERS) 2 - left abroad to work 3 - left to study or work to another place in Romania 4 - in hospital, for short-term (max. 45 days) 5 - in hospital, for long-term (over 45 days) 6 - in jail DADPREZ=0 ASKDAD Where is the father? 7 - divorced/separated and moved out 11 - dead 12 - disappeared or declared dead by the courts 13 - unknown 22 - in an institution/ care center etc., on the long run Since when has the father been DADPREZ=0 ANDAD absent from the household (year)? 8 - person deprived of parental rights 9 - person subject to the criminal punishment of Is the father in any of the AGE<18 SITDAD denying him/her parental rights following? 10 - person under a court injunction 0 - none of the situations Who is mainly looking after the children in the household? AGE < 18 MAINRESP The caregiver can be a minor Fill out the CPERS (older brother, sister) or themselves if there are no adults in the household! 1 - father/mother 2 - brother/sister/ brother/sister-in-law 3 - grandparent What’s the kinship between the AGE < 18 RELRESP 4 - uncle/aunt caregiver and the child? 5 - another relative 0 -- not related 100 - himself/herself 2.2. Parents absent from home Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable 0 - none Home many parents does the AGE < 18 AT HOME 1 - one child have at home? 2 – both AGE < 18 && 0 - none How many of his/her parents are (ACASA==0 || ABROAD 1 - one abroad? ACASA==1) 2 – both 1 - weekly ((MOMPREZ==0) 2 - monthly && How often do the mother and 3 -a few times a year ((ASKMOM<11) || MTALK child talk (face-to-face, on the 4 - once a year (ASKMOM>13)) phone, by Internet)? 5 - not even once a year && (AGE > 3) 0 - never, the mother is no longer in touch with the child 1 - weekly 2 - monthly (ASKMOM==2) || 3 - a few times a year How often does the mom send (ASKMOM== 3) || MPAC 4 - once a year money or packages to the child? (ASKMOM== 7) 5 - not even once a year 6 - when she comes home/ to visit 0 - never; the mother does not have any financial 136 Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable contribution ((ASKMOM == 2) || (ASKMOM == Is the child doing any activities 3) || (ASKMOM== 1 - yes MACTIV with his/her mother (trips, 7) || (ASKMOM== 0 – no holidays)? 22)) || && (AGE > 3) 1 - weekly ((DADPREZ==0) 2 - monthly && How often do the father and 3 -a few times a year ((ASKDAD<11) || DTALK child talk (face-to-face, on the 4 - once a year (ASKDAD>13)) phone, by Internet)? 5 - not even once a year && (AGE > 3) 0 - never, the father is no longer in touch with the child 1 - weekly 2 - monthly 3 - a few times a year (ASKDAD ==2) || How often does the father send 4 - once a year (ASKDAD == 3) || DPAC money or packages to the child? 5 - not even once a year (ASKDAD== 7) 6 - when she comes home/ to visit 0 - never; the father does not have any financial contribution ( (ASKDAD== 2) || (ASKDAD == 3) Is the child doing any activities || (ASKDAD== 7) 1 - yes DACTIV with his/her father (trips, || (ASKDAD== 0 – no holidays)? 22)) && (AGE > 3) 1 - yes AGE < 18 CMIN The child’s mother is underaged 0 – no The child was sent to the child 1 - yes AGE < 18 REIN care system for a while, but now 0 – no is reintegrated into the family Child in placement with the 1 - yes AGE < 18 PLAS1 relatives 0 – no Child in placement with other 1 - yes AGE < 18 PLAS2 persons 0 – no 1 - yes AGE < 18 MATERN Child in foster care 0 – no Has the child been away from the country once or on several 1 - yes AGE < 18 AWAY occasions, for periods longer 0 – no than 3 months, beyond the school holiday period? Where was he/she last? AGE<18 && WHEN AWAY=1 Clearly mention name of the country AGE<18 && For how long was he/she away CAT AWAY=1 last time? 137 2.3. Health Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable Person enrolled with the family 1 - yes PHYSICIAN physician 0 – no Person suffering from a chronic 1 - yes BCRON disease 0 – no The person manages to pay for 1 - most of the times, yes BCRON == 1 MEDS medication/services required for 2 - most of the times, no continuous treatment Beneficiary of any National Health Program 1 - yes BCRON == 1 PRGN 0 – no For instance, the diabetes, the oncology programs etc. The person receives the 1 - yes BCRON == 1 INBC specialized care they need 0 – no Does the person suffer from a disability/deficiency that 1 - yes DIZ significantly limits his/her 0 – no quality of life and social participation? 1 - sensory DIZ == 1 DIZTIP Type of disability 2 - neurological 3 - intellectual The person receives the 1 - yes DIZ == 1 INDIZ specialized care they need 0 – no Person holds a disability 1 - yes DIZ == 1 CTF certificate 0 – no Year when they acquired the disability certificate CTF == 1 ANCTF Check the disability certificate! Fill out the year of the last evaluation! 1- mild 2- medium CTF == 1 GRADHAND Degree of disability 3- accentuated 4– severe The person manages to ensure 1 - most of the times, yes DIZ == 1 TRAT the necessary treatment, 2 - most of the times, no medication, equipment The person manages to get to 1 - most of the times, yes DIZ == 1 RECUP the specialist/recovery 2 - most of the times, no whenever necessary The person eats fresh vegetables 1 - yes VEG and/or fruit daily 0 – no The person eats meat, dairy or 1 - yes AGE>17 MEAT eggs every day 0 – no The person drinks alcohol daily 1 - yes ALC Include all alcoholic drinks: 0 – no beer, wine, spirits etc. 1 - yes TOBACCO The person smokes every day 0 – no Health state subjective SAN assessment, on a scale from 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (very bad) to 10 (very good). 138 Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable Has the person undergone a 1 - yes CONTROL routine medical check during 0 – no the past 6 months? 2.4. Children’s health Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable How much does the child currently weight? AGE<18 KILO Fill out in grams. What’s the child’s current height? AGE<18 H Fill out in cm. 1- yes, all Has the child been administered 2- yes, some AGE<18 VACCALL all the mandatory vaccines? 3- no, none 9- don’t know Has the child been admitted to hospital on several occasions during the past 12 months, as a solution for problems such as no 1 - yes AGE<18 HOSP family supervision during the 0 – no agricultural works season or the impossibility of heating the house in winter time? 1- neglect 2- physical abuse The child has experienced... 3- sexual abuse AGE<18 TRAUMA 4- psychic or emotional abuse Multiple answer 5- exploitation 6- street work or begging During the past two weeks, how 1 - a single meal per day many meals has the child had? AGE<18 MEALS 2 - two meals per day The questions refer only to 3 - three meals per day meals in the family 1 - yes AGE<18 KWA Is the child properly fed? 0 – no 1 - from shops, bought by parents/caregiver 2 - from second hand shops Where do most of the clothes AGE<18 CLOTHES 3 - from relatives, neighbors or others from the he/she wears come from? community 4 - from elsewhere, namely.... CLOTHES=4 CLOTHESalt From elsewhere, namely.... 1 - yes AGE<18 KWB Is the child properly dressed? 0 – no 1- twice a day 2- once a day How often does the child brush 3- several times a week AGE < 18 IG3 his/her teeth? 4- when he/she remembers 5- on special occasions 6- he/she doesn’t 1- every day How often does the child take a 2- several times a week AGE < 18 IG4 bath? 3- once a week 4- more seldom 139 2.5. Development of babies aged 0-12 months Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable (LUNN <= 12) KG Baby’s weight at birth What was the child’s APGAR (LUNN <= 12) APGAR 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 score at birth? Is the child receiving drops of 1 - yes (LUNN <= 12) VITD1 Vitamin D? 0 – no 1 - yes (MONTHS <= 12) FE Is the baby taking iron syrup? 0 – no (MONTHS >= 3) Is the baby holding his/her 1 - yes && (MONTHS <= MONTHS3 head? 0 – no 12) (MONTHS >= 6) 1 - yes && (MONTHS <= MPNTHS6: Is the baby sitting up? 0 – no 12) (MONTHS >= 9) 1 - yes && (MONTHS <= MONTHS9: Is the baby crawling? 0 – no 12) (MONTHS >= 2) 1 - yes && (MONTHS <= GANG Is the baby cooing? 0 – no 12) (MONTHS >= 2) 1 - yes && (MONTHS <= LAUGH Is the baby laughing? 0 – no 12) (MONTHS >= 2) 1 - yes && (MONTHS <= NOISE Is the baby startled by noise? 0 – no 12) (MONTHS >= 2) 1 - yes && (MONTHS <= FLW Is the baby following objects? 0 – no 12) 1 - yes, only breast milk 2 - yes, breast milk and supplement (cow milk, (MONTHS < 6) MILK1 Do you give him/her breast milk? formula) 3 - I am not breast feeding (MONTHS >= 6) DIVERSIFICATIO Have you started the food 1 - yes && (MONTHS <= N diversification after 6 months? 0 – no 12) (MONTHS >= 6) Do you feed him/her a little 1 - yes && (MONTHS <= MEAT1 meat every day? 0 – no 12) (MONTHS >= 6) Do you feed the baby two eggs 1 - yes && (MONTHS <= EGG1 per week? 0 – no 12) 140 2.6. Development of babies aged > 1-5 years Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable (MONTHS >= 12) 1 - yes VITD5 Is the child receiving drops of Vitamin D? && (AGE <= 5) 0 - no (MONTHS >= 12) 1 - yes WALK Is the child walking? && (AGE <= 5) 0 - no (MONTHS >= 12) 1 - yes TALK Does the child talk? && (AGE <= 5) 0 - no (MONTHS >= 12) 1 - yes HEAR Does the child hear? && (AGE <= 5) 0 - no (MONTHS >= 12) 1 - yes SEE Does the child see? && (AGE <= 5) 0 - no (MONTHS >= 12) 1 - yes SMILE Does the child smile/laugh? && (AGE <= 5) 0 - no (MONTHS >= 12) 1 - yes MEAT5 Do you feed him/her meat every day? && (AGE <= 5) 0 - no (MONTHS >= 12) 1 - yes OU5 Is he/she eating eggs two-three times a week? && (AGE <= 5) 0 - no 2.7. Development of babies aged 6-17 years Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable (AGE >= 5) && Has the child been seen by the family physician in the past 1 - yes CONS13 (AGE <= 18) year? 0 - no (AGE >= 5) && 1 - yes MD Does the child have breakfast every day? (AGE <= 14) 0 - no (AGE >= 5) && 1 - yes STILa Does the child walk, run at least one hour per day? (AGE <= 14) 0 - no (AGE >= 5) && 1 - yes STILb Is the child watching TV more than one hour per day? (AGE <= 14) 0 - no (AGE >= 5) && Does the child spend more than one hour per day on the 1 - yes STILc (AGE <= 14) computer? 0 - no Have you talked at home, with the friends, at school (with (AGE > 13) && 1 - yes ADOLDIF the colleagues or teachers) about the differences between (AGE < 18) 0 - no boys and girls? (AGE > 13) && Have you talked at home, with the friends, at school (with 1 - yes ADOLSEX (AGE < 18) the colleagues or teachers) about sexual activity? 0 - no (AGE > 13) && Have you talked at home, with the friends, at school (with 1 - yes (AGE < 18) && ADOLMENS the colleagues or teachers) about menstruation? 0 - no (SEX == 2) (AGE > 13) && Have you talked at home, with the friends, at school (with 1 - yes ADOLSAR (AGE < 18) the colleagues or teachers) about how babies are made? 0 - no 141 2.8. Education of children in the household Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable Is the child sometimes left home alone or 1 - yes AGE < 18 CSING only with his/her siblings (with no adult)? 0 – no 0 - everything is allowed 1 - discussion, recur to understanding 2 - punishments, bans (no sweets, no TV, no play time etc.) 3 - screaming at the child The method most used to discipline the 4 - threatening to punish him/her AGE < 18 DISCIP child 5 - beatings 6 - calling him/her names 7 - you affectionately take him/her in your arms 8 - no measure, indifference 9 - another method, namely... DISCIP==9 DISCIPalt Other discipline methods ... 1- never OCUP=11 && How often do you help the child with 2- sometimes TEME AGE>6 his/her homework? 3- most often 4– always 1- never How often do you spend time with the 2- sometimes AGE < 18 TIME child doing what he/she likes? 3- most often 4- always 1- never How often do you caress the child, hold 2- sometimes AGE < 11 POV him/her and/or read bedtime stories? 3- most often 4- always 3 >=AGE && 1 - yes GRAD Is the child enrolled in kindergarten? AGE<6 0 - no 3 >=AGE && Does the child go to kindergarten every 1 - yes AGE<6 && GRADF day? 0 - no GRAD=1 AGE < 6 && Have he/she ever been enrolled in 1 - yes GRADEVER GRAD ==0 kindergarten? 0 - no (6 <= AGE) && 1 - yes SCHOOL Is the child enrolled in school? (AGE < 18) 0 - no (6 <= AGE) && Have he/she ever been enrolled in 1 - yes (AGE < 18) && SCHOOLEVER school? 0 - no SCHOOL ==0 (6 <= AGE) && 1 - he/she dropped out (AGE < 18) && SCHOOLNOW Why is he/she currently not in school? 2 - he/she was expelled SCHOOLEVER ==1 1 - mainstream, including integrated (6 <= AGE) && education (AGE < 18) && TYPESCH Type of school attended by the child 2 - special needs school (school center SCHOOL ==1 for inclusive education) (6 <= AGE) && (AGE < 18) && CLASS The child is in which grade? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 (OCUP == 11) (6 <= AGE) && 1 - yes (AGE < 18) && SCHOOL Does the child go to school every day? 0 - no (OCUP == 11) (6 <= AGE) && Is the child not always going to school (AGE < 18) && because he/she has to go and work or 1 - yes ABS OCUP==11 && look after his/her younger siblings or help 0 - no SCHOOL==0 out at home? 142 Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable (6 <= AGE) && Does the child have a backpack and the 1 - yes (AGE < 18) && RECHIZ necessary notebooks, books and school 0 - no (OCUP == 11) supplies? (6 <= AGE) && (AGE < 18) && How was the child’s behaviour graded in PURT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (OCUP == 11) && the last year? (CLASS >1) (6 <= AGE) && (AGE < 18) && Has the child failed some subjects in the 1 - yes CORIG (OCUP == 11) && last year? 0 - no (CLASS >1) (6 <= AGE) && (AGE < 18) && 1 - yes REPET Has the child repeated any grade so far? (OCUP == 11) && 0 - no (CLASS > 0) (6 <= AGE) && (AGE < 18) && 1 - yes ABNINT Does the child intend to drop out? (OCUP == 11) && 0 - no (CLASS > 0) (6 <= AGE) && Does the child have a school guidance 1 - yes (AGE < 18) && CESb certificate? 0 - no (OCUP == 11) (6 <= AGE) && 1 - yes (AGE < 18) && ABN Has the child dropped out of school? 0 - no (OCUP != 11) (6 <= AGE) && Has the child dropped out of school to 1 - yes (AGE < 18) && ABNWORK work? 0 - no (OCUP != 11) (6 <= AGE) && Is the child a beneficiary of the Money for 1 - yes (AGE < 18) && BANIL high school Program? 0 - no (OCUP == 11) (6 <= AGE) && Is the child a beneficiary of the EURO 200 1 - yes (AGE < 18) && EURO200 Program? 0 - no (OCUP == 11) (6 <= AGE) && Is the child a beneficiary of the 1 - yes (AGE < 18) && BURSAPROF Professional Scholarship Program? 0 - no (OCUP == 11) (6 <= AGE) && Is the child a beneficiary of the Milk and 1 - yes (AGE < 18) && CRNLP Bagel Program? 0 - no (OCUP == 11) (6 <= AGE) && Is the child a beneficiary of the School 1 - yes (AGE < 18) && RECHIZSC supplies Program? 0 - no (OCUP == 11) (6 <= AGE) && 1 - yes (AGE < 18) && PRBURSE Does the child receive a scholarship? 0 - no (OCUP == 11) 2.9. Education of adults in the household Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable (AGE>10) && 1 - yes READING Can the person read? (OCUP<>11) 0 - no (AGE>10) && 1 - yes WRITING Can the person write? (OCUP<>11) 0 - no (AGE>10) && 1 - yes OPMAT Can the person do basic math? (OCUP<>11) 0 - no 143 2.10. Income sources Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable (AGE > 15) && (AGE<64) && (OCUP=1) || 1 - yes (OCUP=2) || CONTRM Do you have a work contract? 0 - no (OCUP=3) || (OCUP=4) || (OCUP=5) (AGE > 15) && (AGE<64) && (OCUP=1) || 1 - yes (OCUP=2) || VENST Does the person have a steady income? 0 - no (OCUP=3) || (OCUP=4) || (OCUP=5) (AGE > 15) && (AGE<64) && Is the person taking care of childrne or other dependents 1 - yes (OCUP=8) || CARE outside the household? 0 - no (OCUP=12) || (OCUP=14) Wages Person that in the last month received a salary (AGE > 15) && SAL Lei (AGE<66) Include medical leaves, maternity leaves and revenue in-kind Income from independent non-agricultural activities (AGE > 15) && VFIRM Lei (AGE<66) Include profit, income from several crafts, service provision, freelancing, intellectual property rights Income from independent agricultural activities (AGE > 15) && VAGRIC Lei (AGE<66) Include day labor incomes (AGE > 15) && Unemployment benefit/ professional insertion benefit/ support AJSOM Lei (AGE<66) allowance Child allowances ALOCPC Lei Include the allowances for single-parent families, complementary allowances BS9 Family support allowance Lei OCUP=11 SCHOLARSHIP Scholarships for pupils and students Lei PMUN Social insurance pensions for seniority Lei PAGR Pensions for farmers Lei Other pensions PALTE Lei Include the social pensions, survivors’ pensions, IOVR pensions Benefits assimilated to pensions INDEM Lei For war veterans or widows, for politically persecuted persons, for martyrs and their survivors BS1 Monthly placement allowance Lei Monthly allowance for people with a severe or accentuated BS2 Lei disability 144 Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable Monthly attendance allowance for those looking after severely BS3 Lei disabled adults BS4 Monthly food benefit for people infected with HIV/AIDS Lei BS10 Social welfare (guaranteed minimum income) Lei BS11 Heating benefit (subsidy for heat, wood) Lei BS12 Emergency support during the past year Lei Other benefits, support BS13 Lei For instance, support received by people with extremely severe medical conditions, for medical treatment and surgeries. 1 - yes BS5 Food products received from the European Union 0 - no 1 - yes BS6 Day center 0 - no 1 - yes BS7 Soup kitchen 0 - no 1 - yes BS8 Formula for infants 0 - no 1 - yes BSx Other allowances provided by special laws 0 - no 2.11. At-risk behaviours of teenagers in the household Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable (AGE > 13) && Teenager had fights or violent incidents with other kids or 1 - yes ADVIOLENCE (AGE < 18) youngsters? 0 - no (AGE > 13) && 1 - yes ADGRUP Teenager is part of an at-risk group? (AGE < 18) 0 - no (AGE > 13) && 1 - yes ADRUN Teenager has ever run away or left home? (AGE < 18) 0 - no (AGE > 13) && 1 - yes ADPOL Teenager has had problems with the police? (AGE < 18) 0 - no (AGE > 13) && 1 - yes ADSEX Is the teenager sexually active? (AGE < 18) 0 - no (AGE > 13) && 1 - yes ADMOM Teenager is an underaged mother, is pregnant or had children? (AGE < 18) 0 - no 2.12. At-risk behaviours in the household 145 Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable 1 - yes Has your spouse/partner ever hit WOMAN == 1 VIOLENCE 0 - no you? 99 - Does not have a husband/partner 1 - alcohol addiction 2 - drug addiction Person has problems with: 3 - police history or criminal record AGE>13 POTRISC 4 - prostitution history Multiple answer 5 - begging history 6 - family violence history 2.13. Data on the women in the household (10 years old and over) who have had at least one partner (even if not married) A. Birth control and births Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable (AGE >=10) && 1 - yes WOMAN Do you have or have you had a sexual partner? (SEX == 2) 0 - no 1 - yes WOMAN == 1 CONTACEPT Do you use birth control methods? 0 - no You’ve given birth to how many born-alive babies so far? 0 1 2 ... 20 20+ WOMAN == 1 NRKIDS NRKIDS=NRDEAD+NRALIVE WOMAN == 1 NRDEAD No of kids that died WOMAN == 1 NRALIVE Number of children alive, irrespective of their age Number of kids you’ve given birth to, alive and under 27, of WOMAN == 1 && which: 0 1 2 ... 20 20+ ALIVEKIDS NRKIDS > 0 ALIVEKIDS=INHOMEKIDS+KIDSOUT WOMAN == 1 && Number of kids you’ve given birth to, alive and under 27, and 0 1 2 ... 20 20+ INHOMEKIDS ALIVEKIDS > 0 live in the household: Number of kids you’ve given birth to, alive and under 27, WOMAN == 1 && that don’t live in the household, of which: 0 1 2 ... 20 20+ KIDSOUT ALIVEKIDS > 0 KIDSOUT=KIDSOUT1+KIDSOUT2+KIDSOUT3+KIDSOUT5 How many of your under-27 children, that don’t live in the 0 1 2 ... 20 20+ KIDSOUT>0 KIDSOUT1 household, are in the child protection system? How many of your children under-27, that don’t live in the 0 1 2 ... 20 20+ KIDSOUT>0 KIDSOUT2 household, are with relatives, without a protection measure? How many of your children under-27, that don’t live in the 0 1 2 ... 20 20+ KIDSOUT>0 KIDSOUT3 household, are with non-relatives, without a protection measure? How many of your children under-27, that don’t live in the household, were relinquished in the maternity or in another 0 1 2 ... 20 20+ KIDSOUT>0 KIDSOUT4 medical facility (and the mother knows nothing of their whereabouts) How many of your children under 18, that don’t live in the 0 1 2 ... 20 20+ KIDSOUT>0 KIDSOUT5 household, are in another situation (e.g. Married and left home)? 146 Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable WOMAN == 1 && Have you ever filed a request to put any of your children in 1 - yes KIDINST ALIVEKIDS > 0 child care? 0 - no WOMAN == 1 && Have you ever been subject to an investigation conducted by 1 - yes ANCHET ALIVEKIDS > 0 the Social Protection Services (DGASPC)? 0 - no 1 - yes WOMAN == 1 PREG Are you pregnant? 0 - no 1 - yes WOMAN == 1 BIRTH12 Did you give birth in the past 12 months? 0 - no 2.13. Data on the women in the household (10 years old and over) who have had at least one partner (even if not married) B. Pregnant women Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable 0 1 2 ... 9 9+ PREG == 1 LUNSAR How far along? 1 - yes PREG == 1 MDSAR Is the pregnancy monitored by the family physician? 0 - no 1 - yes PREG == 1 CONTPR Did you do the prenatal medical checks? 0 - no 1 - yes PREG == 1 PLAN Did you plan to get pregnant? 0 - no 2.14. Children separated from their families Fill out if someone in the household has at least OTHERCHILD=1. Record all children under 27 who are currently in special care. Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable CPERSCHILD Children code CPERS child shall be generated 21, 22, 23... NAME Name and surname GENDER Gender YY Birth year MM Birth month DD Birth day 147 Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable Does the person hold a birth ACTE1 certificate? ACTE == 1 CNP Personal identification number AGE>13 ACTE2 Does the person hold an ID card? NAT Ethnicity STACIV Marital status Highest level of education AGE>9 NIVE graduated 1- placement center 2- family-type home/ apartment The child is in which protection 3- placement with the relatives SERVP service? 4- placement with other people 5- foster care 9- don’t know 1 - Yes AGE<18 MOMPREZ Is the mother present? 0 - No MOMPREZ=1 MOM Note the mother’s code (CPERS) 2 - left abroad to work 3 - left to study or work to another place in Romania 4 - in hospital, for short-term (max. 45 days) 5 - in hospital, for long-term (over 45 days) 6 - in jail MOMPREZ=0 ASKMOM Where is the mom? 7 - divorced/separated and moved out 11 - dead 12 - disappeared or declared dead by the courts 13 - unknown 22 - in an institution/ care center etc., on the long run Since when has the mom been MOMPREZ=0 ANMOM absent from the household (year)? 8 - person deprived of parental rights 9 - person subject to the criminal punishment of Is the mother in any of the AGE<18 SITMOM denying him/her parental rights following? 10 - person under a court injunction 0 - none of the situations 1 - Yes AGE<18 DADPREZ Is the father present? 0 - No DADPREZ=1 DAD Note the father’s code (CPERS) 2 - left abroad to work 3 - left to study or work to another place in Romania 4 - in hospital, for short-term (max. 45 days) 5 - in hospital, for long-term (over 45 days) 6 - in jail DADPREZ=0 ASKDAD Where is the father? 7 - divorced/separated and moved out 11 - dead 12 - disappeared or declared dead by the courts 13 - unknown 22 - in an institution/ care center etc., on the long run 148 Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable Since when has the father been DADPREZ=0 ANDAD absent from the household (year)? 8 - person deprived of parental rights 9 - person subject to the criminal punishment of Is the father in any of the AGE<18 SITDAD denying him/her parental rights following? 10 - person under a court injunction 0 - none of the situations 2.15. Relation between the household and children currently in child care Fill out if someone in the household has at least OTHERCHILD=1. Record all children under 27 who are currently in special care. Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable Has anyone from the household 1 - yes KIDVIS visited the child in the past 6 0 - no months? Has anyone from the household 1 - yes KIDPHONE talked on the phone with the 0 - no child in the past 6 months? After the child left home, has 1- yes, someone from Child Protection anyone talked to a household 2- yes, a social worker from the municipality member about the child’s DS5 3- yes, an NGO representative situation? 4- yes, someone else 5- no, no one Multiple answer 1 - yes, I’d take him/her back anytime Does anyone in the household PZ1 2 - yes, but I couldn’t now currently want to take the child? 3 - no, I don’t want to take him/her back 1- Build/ expand or repair the house 2- Receive a social housing (no payment) 3- Increase household incomes 4- Raise the small children Under which conditions could the PZ1=2 PZ1b 5- Ensure child’s access to education services child go back to his/her family? suitable for his/her 6- Ensure child’s access to recovery, rehabilitation or specialized medical services 7- Something else, namely... PZ1b=7 PZ1b1 Namely: ... 1- yes, but only to visit Do you think that the child ever 2- yes, but I don’t know for how long PZ2 wants to come back to your 3- yes, he/she will come back for good family? 4- no, I don’t think he/she will come back How many times has the child HOWVIS2 visited home in the past 12 months? In the past 6 months, how many times have you been visited by the case manager or any other WHERECHILD=3 RELDGASPC A number from 0 to 10 DGASPC specialist (including from the center) about the child’s situation? In the past 6 months, how many time has the Social Assistance RELSPASa Service (SPAS) visited your A number from 0 to 10 household in respect to the child’s situation? 149 Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable 1- relatives 2- friends, neighbours Has your household received 3- church support from anyone to take back 4- municipality/SPAS the child (receive/reintegrate DS6 5- DGASPC him/her)? 6- NGO 7- other people in the community Multiple answer 8- other people outside the community 9- no, no one DS6=1 for any RELSPASb If Yes, what kind of support? item 3. IDENTIFYING HOUSEHOLD RISKS 3.1. Revenues and expenses Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable Last month, the total amount of money from salaries, pensions, allowances, VENG benefits, sales etc. by all household members (including the respondent) was of about... How much do you spend on food on a CONS regular month? Do you have a garden, relatives or friends at 1 - yes AGRIC the countryside from where you get several 0 - no products? Was the household total net revenue from 1 - yes VNEED the previous month enough for current 0 - no expenditures? 1 - not even enough for bare necessities 2 - enough only for the bare necessities 3 - enough for a decent living, but we can’t afford to buy more expensive How do you assess your current household VENSUB things revenues? 4 - we manage to buy sometimes more expensive things, but by cutting back from elsewhere 5 - we suceed in having everything we need, without any cut-backs As an estimate, what are your current ECON1 savings? 1- car GOODS The family owns: 2- farm 3- immovable assets 1- monthly 2- every two months 3- every three months How often do you receive money from REM1 4- seldom or whenever they can family members abroad? 5- only when they come home 6- never 0- we don’t have anyone abroad How much do they send every year (lei), as REM1 < 6 REM2 a rough estimate? 150 3.2. Living conditions Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable 1- every day 2- several times a week Last winter how often has it happened to 3- once a week L1 not be able to heat the house or be cold? 4- several times a month 5- seldom 6- never 1- every day 2- several times a week In the past 6 months, how often has it 3- once a week L2 happened not to have food on the table and 4- several times a month for children to starve? 5- seldom 6- never How many rooms do you have, apart from L3 the kitchen, hallway, bathroom and other dependencies? L4 In how many rooms can one sleep? L4a Number of beds used only by children L4b Number of beds used only by adults Number of beds used both by children and L4c adults L4d. Has is happened in the last 6 months for a family member to have to sleep 1 - yes L4d elsewhere (on the floor, in the stable, on a 0 - no bench) because he/she didn’t have room in the bed? Does every bad have everything needed 1 - yes L4e (bed sheet, covers, pillows etc)? 0 - no Does the house have a special place for 1 - yes L5 children, where they can play or do their 0 - no homework? Is the number of rooms compliant with the 1 - yes L7 needs? 0 - no Does the house have a designated space for 1 - yes L_Buc_a cooking? 0 - no Does the house have the proper appliances 1 - yes L_Buc_b for cooking (cooker, cooking stove, fridge 0 - no etc.)? How many couples are there in your 1 2 ... 9 10+ L8a household? How many single people (18 and over) are in 1 2 ... 9 10+ L8b your household? How many 12-17 year old girls are in your 1 2 ... 9 10 L8c household? (Not part of a couple) How many 12-17 year old boys are in your 1 2 ... 9 10 L8d household? (Not part of a couple) Do you have problems with your house 1 - yes L9a (leaking roof, damp walls, 0 - no rotten/deteriorated windows/floors)? 151 Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable 1 - yes L9b Do the rooms have natural light? 0 - no 1 - yes L9c Does the house have a bathroom or shower? 0 - no Do you have inside toilet, connected to the 1 - yes L9d sewage system? 0 - no 1 - yes L9e Is your house connected to the power grid? 0 - no Is the house connected to a clean water 1 - yes L9f system? 0 - no Is the house connected to the sewage 1 - yes L9g system? 0 - no 1 - yes L9j Does the house have a TV set? 0 - no Is there a computer in the house that kids 1 - yes L9k can access? 0 - no 1 - yes L9l Is there an internet connection? 0 - no 1 - yes BOOKS Do you have children books at home? 0 - no 1 - yes TOYS Do you have suitable toys for the children? 0 - no Do you have access to a suitable waste 1 - yes L9m collection system? 0 - no Do all members (including children) have 1 - yes IG1a access to soap? 0 - no Do all members (including children) have 1 - yes IG1b access to shampoo? 0 - no Do all members (including children) have 1 - yes IG1c access to a toothbrush and tooth paste? 0 - no 1 - in the center of the locality 2 - between the center and the GEO1 The house is located:. outskirts 3 - at the outskirts 4 - outside the locality, in a colony 1 - one or several inhabited dwellings 2 - a forest About 2000m around the house, there are: GEO2 3 - a landfill ...? 4 - a river, a pond 5 - buildings no longer in use, ruins Is the house located in an area prone to 1 - yes GEO3 flooding? 0 - no Is the house located in an area prone to 1 - yes GEO4 land slides? 0 - no Does the house owe money for utilities 1 - yes L_DEBT (electricity, water, gas etc.) or rent (if 0 - no applicable)? L_DEBT=1 L_DEBT_LEI What’s the total debt? 152 Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable Type of housing 1 - house, villa 2 - apartment/ studio in an apartment Attention! Do not read the questions. To be L10 building filled out by the social worker, based on 3 - improvised shelter his/her assessment through direct 4 - other situation observation! L10ALT Other situations 1 - owned by someone in the household 2 - owned by other relatives, not in the household 3 - rented from the state L11 House ownership 4 - privately rented 5 - social housing or received for free 6 - improvised shelter 7 - squatting L11=1 PROPLOC Who owns the house? Write down the CPERS Does the person that owns the place have 1 - yes L11=1 ACTELOC official documents proving the ownership? 0 - no 3.3. Assessment done by the social worker filling out the Risks identification sheet Name of the Filter/condition Variable/ question Variable values variable 1- very poor 2- poor OBS1 Hygiene (observed during the visits) is ... 3- average 4- good 5- very good 1- very poor 2- poor OBS2 Living conditions are... 3- average 4- good 5- very good 153 A2.3. Correspondence between the risk situations in the Observation Sheet and the variables (questions) in the Risk Identification Sheet Logical Conditions (for the variables in the Risk Risk Indicators identification sheet in accordance with Annex 2, section 2.2) 1. ECONOMIC SITUATION a. The family is in a situation of poverty a1 || a2 ─ 1. monetary poverty (VENG/NRPERS < 200) - income per family member is under 0.4 ISR ((L1<4) || (L2<4)) - regularly, either the ─ 2. extreme poverty family could not heat the dwelling, or could not provide food to the children b. Single parent or both parents without an ((PREZ=1) & (OCUP=7 ||OCUP=8 || OCUP=12 occupation or in unemployment || OCUP=13 || OCUP=14)) for single parent or both parents of 14+ years c1. Family in poverty not receiving social benefits addressing poverty (GMI, heating (a=1) & (BS10=0) & (BS11=0) & (BS12=0) & benefit, emergency aid, soup kitchen, food aid (BS5=0) & (BS7=0) from the EU) 2. SOCIAL SITUATION a. There is a minor mother or a pregnant minor (( (age<18)) | ((age<18) & (ALIVETOTAL>0)) in the family | ((age<18) &(PREG=1))) for all mothers b. Single-parent family HOME = 1 c. Single parent or both parents is/ are away for (prez=2 ||prez=3) for single parent or for work, in the country or abroad both parents d. Both parents are deceased, unknown, they have lost parental rights, or they have been subject to a criminal penalty terminating their parental rights, they have been placed under (prez=11 ||prez=12 ||prez=13 ||prez=30) interdiction by a court of law, they are missing for single parent or for both parents and or declared deceased by a court of law, and no their children guardianship or other special protection measure was taken. e. The family has one or more children who have returned to their country of origin after more - than a year abroad f. The family has one or more children in the special protection system (PREZ=23 ) || KIDSOUTINST>0 g. The family has one or more children reintegrated from the special protection system AGE<18 & REIN=1 h. The family has members with sensory, neurological or intellectual disabilities which limit the quality of their life significantly as well h1 || h2 as their participation in the social life 154 Logical Conditions (for the variables in the Risk Risk Indicators identification sheet in accordance with Annex 2, section 2.2) 1. adults AGE>=18 & DIZ=1 ─ 2.children AGE<18 & DIZ=1 i. At least one member of the family (including an adult) has no civil registry documents i1 || i2 1. adults AGE>=18 & (ACTE=0 || ACTE2=0) ─ 2.children AGE<18 & (ACTE=0 || ACTE2=0) j. The family has one or more members sentenced to any custodial sentence PREZ=6 for every family member k1. The family has one or more children in a foster care center or with foster parents in risk (AGE < 18) && (((PLAS == 1) || (PLAS2==1) conditions || (MATERN ==1)) k2. The family has one or more children relinquished in hospital units KIDSOUTAB>0 3. HEALTH STATUS a. The family has one or more members with chronic and communicable diseases BCRON=1 for any family member b. The family has one or more members who are not registered with any family physician MEDIC=0 for any family member c. There is a pregnant woman in the family who is not registered with any family physician PREG=1 & MEDIC=0 d. There is an infant in the family who is not registered with any family physician. LUNN<=12 & MEDIC=0 e. The family has one or more children who are not registered with any family physician AGE<18 & MEDIC=0 f. The family has one or more children who are VACCINE=0 for any children (0-17 years) in not vaccinated the family g. The family has one or more children with multiple hospital admissions, although they do (Age<18 & HOSP=1 & BCRON=0) for any child not have chronic and communicable diseases (0-17 years) in the family h1. The family has one or more children aged less than 1 year with health risk h11 || h12 || h13 || h14 || h15 || h16 ─ 1. children under 1 year unvaccinated (LUNN <= 12) && (VACCIN == 0) 2. children under 1 year with low birth weight (below 2,500 grams) (LUNN<=12) && ((KG <2500) 3. a child who isn't receiving vitamin D and Iron (LUNN <= 12) && (VITD1 == 0) && (FE == 0) 4. children under 6 months who are not exclusively breastfed (LUNN <=6) && (MILK1>1) 5. children over 6 months of age and under 1 year (LUNN > 6) & (LUNN <= 12) && ((LEGUM1 == of age without a properly diversified diet 0) || (MEAT1 == 0) || (OU1 == 0)) ─ 6. Children under 1 year of age who are not in (LUNN <= 12) && ((LNN3 == 0) || (LNN6 == line with development standards 0) || (LNN9 == 0) || (GANG == 0) || (NOISE == 0) || (FLW == 0) || (RAS == 0)) h2. There is a pregnant woman with risk pregnancy (the pregnancy is not registered with a family physician; the pregnant woman is not (MDSAR==0 || CONTPR==0 || PLAN=0) going to prenatal checks or the pregnancy was 155 Logical Conditions (for the variables in the Risk Risk Indicators identification sheet in accordance with Annex 2, section 2.2) unwanted) 4. LEVEL OF EDUCATION a. One or both parents are illiterate ((MOMCITIT==0 || MOMSCRIS==0)) || ((DADCITIT==0 || DADSCRIS==0)) b. The family has one or more children of school age (between 6 and 15 years) not attending (6 <= AGE) & (AGE<16) & OCUP<>11 compulsory education c1. The family has one or more children aged 6- 15 years who are early school leavers (6 <= AGE) && (AGE < 16) && (ABN == 1) c2. The family has one or more children aged 6- ((6 <= AGE) && (AGE < 16) && ((SCHOOL == 15 at risk of dropping out of school 0) || (REPET == 1) || (ABNINT == 1))) d. The family has one or more children with reduced school attendance or grade repetition SCHOOL=0 || REPET=1 e. The family has one or more children with poor school performance (failed classes etc.) CORIG=1 f. The family has one or more children with a history of punishment within their school (expelled from school, disruptive classroom PURT<10 || EXPSCH=1 behaviour etc.) g. The family has a large number of children (3 or more) of ante-preschool/ preschool/ school CRESA=1 || (AGE<18 & OCUP=11) for 3 or age more children h. The family has one or more children with special educational needs CES=1 i. The family has one or more children who have never been enrolled in a kindergarten or school: i1 || i2 || i3 1. Preschool children (3 <= AGE) && ( AGE < 7) && ((NOSCH == 0) ─ 2. children aged 7-9 years (3 <= AGE) && ( AGE < 7) && ((NOSCH == 0) ─ 3. children aged 10-15 years (10 <= AGE) && (AGE < 16) && ((NOSCH == 0) 5. HOUSING CONDITIONS a. The family occupies certain living quarters abusively, without right of residence, including L11=7 illegally built premises b1. The family lives in a makeshift dwelling, not intended for housing purpose - huts, water towers, sewer elements, buildings in an L10=3 advanced state of decay, caves, shacks etc. c. The living space is not large enough to accommodate the number of residents; the home (AGE < 18) && (CAMNEC > L3) is overcrowded d. The family has no access to utilities, especially to water and electricity L12b=0 || L12a=0 e. The family does not have the minimum facilities required for the preparation of food, L13a=0 || L13b=0 heating and essential furniture f. The home is not maintained, lack of hygiene OBS1<2 (very precarious) g. The family lives in improper conditions/ is faced with safety issues (leakage through the L9a=1 156 Logical Conditions (for the variables in the Risk Risk Indicators identification sheet in accordance with Annex 2, section 2.2) roof, wet walls, rotten or damaged floors/windows etc.) 6. AT-RISK BEHAVIOURS a. The family has a history of complaints/ notifications registered and confirmed by the local public authorities or the police concerning the anti-social behaviour of a family member, POL=1 || POTRISC=3 such as criminal offenses, minors used for begging etc. b. One or several members of the family has an aggressive behaviour and/or a history of domestic violence, such as the existence of b1 || b2 || b3 complaints or of a restraining order: (VIOLENCE==1) || ((POTRISC==3) || b1. There is a risk of domestic violence or abuse (POTRISC==4)|| (POTRISC==5) || in the family (POTRISC==6)) || (TRAUMA=2 || TRAUMA=3 || TRAUMA=4 || TRAUMA=5 || TRAUMA=6) || ((AGE<18) &&(DISCIP>2 & DISCIP<7)) b2. A child in the family is at risk of violence (AGE<18) && (DISCIP>2 & DISCIP<7) || against children (TRAUMA=2 || TRAUMA=3 || TRAUMA=4 || TRAUMA=5 || TRAUMA=6) b3. A child in the family is at risk of neglect (AGE < 12) && CSING==1 || (TRAUMA=1) c. There is excessive alcohol consumption in the family. ALC=1 || POTRISC=1 d. The family is using or has a history of consumption or abuse of psychotropic substances ADDROG=1 || POTRISC=2 (AGE > 9) && (AGE < 18) && (((SEX == 1) && (ADOLDIF == 0) && (ADOLSEX == 0) && e1. There is one or there are several teenagers in (ADOLSAR == 0)) || ((SEX == 2) &&(ADOLDIF the family with risky sexual behaviour == 0) && (ADOLSEX == 0) && (ADOLSAR == 0) &&(ADOLMENS == 0 )) || ((SEX = 2) && (WOMAN =1) &&(CONTACEPT = 0))) e2. One or more adolescents in the family has/ (AGE > 9) && (AGE < 18) && ((ADTIG == 1) || have at-risk behaviours relating substance use (ADALCO == 1) || (ADDROG == 1) || and violence (ADBAT==1) || (ADBAT2==1 ) Notes: || = or, & = and. The significance of the variables used in logical conditions is found in Annex 2, Section A2.2. In addition: AGE = age and PREZ = 1 - present, 2 - away for work abroad, 3 - away for study or work in the country, 4 - short-term admission to the hospital (up to 45 days), 5 - long-term admission to the hospital (over 45 days), 6 - in prison, 10 - divorced/separated and moved out (just for parents absent from the household!), 11 - deceased (just for parents absent from the household!), 12 - unknown situation (just for parents absent from the household!), 13 - missing person declared deceased by the court of law, 22 - person in an institution/ long-term care centre, 23 - child separated from the family, not residing in the household, but in the protection system, 30 - parental rights lost, 100 - a situation different from the above Situations of risk in accordance with the indicators (included in the Observation sheet) as defined in GD 691/2015, Art. 5 and amended (listed in the coloured cells) according to Table 1. 157 A2.4. "Report on at-risk children in the community" - template Annex 2. Table: Activities of identification of at-risk children in the commune and in the villages (number of children) In the Village Village commune, Etc. 1 2 of which: Total number of children (0-17 years) for latest available year, according to the data of the National Institute of Statistics (www.temponline) Number of children for which SPAS received or filled out an Observation Sheet, at the time of the drafting of the report Number of children for which an Observation sheet was filled out or updated during the past 12 months, at the time of drafting the report Number of children registered in the Community Children Observatory, at the time of drafting the report Number of children who, according to the Observation sheet, are under suspicion of being exposed to at least one risk situation at the time of drafting the report Number of children for whom an Observation sheet was filled out at the time of drafting of the report Number of children for whom the data in the Risk identification sheet did not conform any risk situation at the time of drafting the report Number of children for whom the data in the Risk identification sheet confirmed the existence of at least one risk situation at the time of drafting the report Number of children for whom the data in the Risk identification sheet confirmed 2 to 5 risk situations (Table 1) at the time of the drafting the report Number of children for which the data from the Risk identification sheet confirmed the existence of a number of 6 to 10 risk situations (Table 1) at the time of the drafting the report Number of children for whom the data in the Risk identification sheet confirmed more than 10 risk situations (Table 1) at the time of the drafting the report Number of children in the Registry of at-risk children at the time of drafting the report Annex 2. Table: Distribution of at-risk children in the commune and in the villages, by type of risk situations (number of children) 158 Number of children for whom the data in the Risk In the identification sheet confirmed the existence of each type of Villag Villag commune, Etc. risk situation below: e1 e2 of which: Total number of children in the Registry 1. ECONOMIC SITUATION Depending on the economic situation of the family in charge of raising and caring for the child (any of the situations a-c1) a. The family is in a situation of poverty ─ 1. monetary poverty ─ 2. extreme poverty b. Single parent or both parents without an occupation or in unemployment c1. Family in poverty not receiving social benefits addressing poverty (GMI, heating benefit, emergency aid, soup kitchen, food aid from the EU) 2. SOCIAL SITUATION Depending on the social situation of the family in charge of raising and caring for the child (any of the situations a-k2) a. There is a minor mother or a pregnant minor in the family b. Single-parent family c. Single parent or both parents is/ are away for work, in the country or abroad d. Both parents are deceased, unknown, they have lost parental rights, or they have been subject to a criminal penalty terminating their parental rights, they have been placed under interdiction by a court of law, they are missing or declared deceased by a court of law, and no guardianship or other special protection measure was taken. e. The family has one or more children who has/ have returned to their country of origin after more than a year abroad f. The family has one or more children in the special protection system g. The family has one or more children reintegrated from the special protection system h. The family has members with sensory, neurological or intellectual disabilities which limit the quality of their life significantly as well as their participation in the social life 1. adults ─ 2.children i. At least one member of the family (including an adult) has no civil registry documents 1. adults ─ 2.children j. The family has one or more members sentenced to any custodial sentence k1. The family has one or more children in a foster care center or with foster parents in risk conditions 159 Number of children for whom the data in the Risk In the identification sheet confirmed the existence of each type of Villag Villag commune, Etc. risk situation below: e1 e2 of which: k2. The family has one or more children relinquished in hospital units 3. HEALTH STATUS Depending on the health status of the family in charge of raising and caring for the child (any of the situations a-h2) a. The family has one or more members with chronic and communicable diseases b. The family has one or more members who are not registered with any family physician c. There is a pregnant woman in the family who is not registered with any family physician d. There is an infant in the family who is not registered with any family physician. e. The family has one or more children who are not registered with any family physician f. The family has one or more children not vaccinated g. The family has one or more children with multiple hospital admissions, although they do not have chronic and communicable diseases h1. There are health risks for one or more children aged less than 1 year in the family ─ 1. children under 1 year unvaccinated 2. children under 1 year with low birth weight (below 2,500 grams) 3. a child who isn't receiving vitamin D and Iron 4. children under 6 months who are not exclusively breastfed 5. children over 6 months of age and under 1 year of age without a properly diversified diet ─ 6. Children under 1 year of age who are not in line with development standards h2. There is a pregnant woman with risk pregnancy (the pregnancy is not registered with a family physician, the pregnant woman is not going to prenatal checks or the pregnancy was unwanted) 4. LEVEL OF EDUCATION Depending on the level of education of the family in charge of raising and caring for the child (any of the situations a-i3) a. One or both parents is/ are illiterate b. The family has one or more children of school age (between 6 and 15 years) not attending compulsory education c1. The family has one or more children aged 6-15 years who are early school leavers c2. The family has one or more children aged 6-15 at risk of dropping out of school d. The family has one or more children with reduced school attendance or grade repetition 160 Number of children for whom the data in the Risk In the identification sheet confirmed the existence of each type of Villag Villag commune, Etc. risk situation below: e1 e2 of which: e. The family has one or more children with poor school performance (failed classes etc.) f. The family has one or more children with a history of punishment within their school (expelled from school, disruptive classroom behaviour etc.) g. The family has a large number of children (3 or more) of ante-preschool/ preschool/ school age h. The family has one or more children with special educational needs i. The family has one or more children who have never been enrolled in a kindergarten or school: 1. Preschool children ─ 2. children aged 7-9 years ─ 3. children aged 10-15 years 5. HOUSING CONDITIONS Depending on the housing conditions of the family in charge of raising and caring for the child (any of the situations a-g) a. The family occupies certain living quarters abusively, without right of residence, including illegally built premises b1. The family lives in a makeshift dwelling, not intended for housing purpose - huts, water towers, sewer elements, buildings in an advanced state of decay, caves, shacks etc. c. The living space is not large enough to accommodate the number of residents; the home is overcrowded d. The family has no access to utilities, especially to water and electricity e. The family does not have the minimum facilities required for the preparation of food, heating and essential furniture f. The home is not maintained, lack of hygiene g. The family lives in improper conditions/ is faced with safety issues (leakage through the roof, wet walls, rotten or damaged floors/windows etc.) 6. AT-RISK BEHAVIOURS Depending on the risk behaviours in the family in charge of raising and caring for the child (any of situations a-e2) a. The family has a history of complaints/ notifications registered and confirmed by the local public authorities or the police concerning the anti-social behaviour of a family member, such as criminal offenses, minors used for begging etc. b. One or several members of the family has/ have an aggressive behaviour and/or a history of domestic violence, such as the existence of complaints or of a protective order: b1. There is a risk of domestic violence or abuse in the family b2. A child in the family is at risk of violence against children b3. A child in the family is at risk of neglect 161 Number of children for whom the data in the Risk In the identification sheet confirmed the existence of each type of Villag Villag commune, Etc. risk situation below: e1 e2 of which: c. There is excessive alcohol consumption in the family. d. The family is using or has a history of consumption or abuse of psychotropic substances e1. There is one or there are several teenagers in the family with risky sexual behaviour e2. One or more adolescents in the family has/ have at-risk behaviours relating substance use and violence Note: Situations of risk in accordance with the indicators (included in the Observation sheet) as defined in GD 691/2015, Art. 5 and amended (listed in the colored cells) according to Table 1. 162 A2.5. Sheet of relevant social services for children and youth at risk in the commune identified in the community and in the functional micro-area The information in this sheet should be filled in for each of the services having as beneficiaries’ only children or adults and children and which is relevant for the groups of children and youth at risk in the commune. DATKCS4f. Date of interview filling in: |___|___|: |___|___|: |___|___|___|___| Start hour: |___|___|: |___|___| Cinesc4f. Who filled in the interview? OMsc4f. Person with whom the interview was actually filled in? 1. Surname: 2. Name: 3. Position: 4. Telephone (if possible): I0 / IS0. Position of the service identified by SPAS: No. (=1 for Service 1) I11 / IS11. Type of service: ... I12 / IS12. Service name: IFURN / IS13. Service supplier: 1. DGASPC 2. LPA 3. NGOs 4. Cults 5. Economic agents 6. Others, namely: CSurs / IS14. Commune where the service is: IS14. Commune’s name If it is in a selected commune, use the code zero. IS14a. SIRSUP: I13 / IS15. The village where the service is: IS15. Village’s name IS15a = SIRINF: I15 / IS16. Do you (SPAS experts) work/cooperate with 0. Yes 1. No -1. NS/NR this service? IS17. During the last 12 months, has SPAS referred a 0. Yes 1. No person/family from your commune to this service? If the service is from the functional micro-area (neighboring villages) 0. Yes 1. No -1. NS/NR IS18. As to your knowledge, during the last 12 months did this service have beneficiaries from your commune? I16 / IS19. On a scale from 1 to 10, how efficient do you ... -1. Cannot say -7. NC regard this service is in preventing separation or in 163 protecting the children separated from their family in your commune? SSoc1. Capacity of the service: SSoc2. Are there available places allowing the possible enlisting of some children who would be reintegrated in the 0. Yes 1. No -1. NS/NR commune families or would be transferred in family placement or to PC in the commune? SSoc3. Which of the following interventions/activities are ensured by NS/ Yes No NR the service ...? 14. Services of parental education 1 0 -1 15. Services of family planning 1 0 -1 16. Services of sexual education for youth 1 0 -1 17. Services of care at home for children/families with children 1 0 -1 18. Services of psychologic counseling 1 0 -1 19. Services of school counseling and orientation 1 0 -1 20. Services of professional/vocational counseling and orientation 1 0 -1 21. Educational support services 1 0 -1 41. Afterschool services 1 0 -1 42. A second chance 1 0 -1 22. Services of speech therapy 1 0 -1 23. Chiropractic services 1 0 -1 24. Other recovery/rehabilitation services 1 0 -1 29. Social ambulance 1 0 -1 25. Services to prevent abuse, neglect and exploitation 1 0 -1 26. Counseling services to prevent and control domestic violence 1 0 -1 27. Services of assistance dedicated to aggressors 1 0 -1 28. Services type meals on wheels or social canteen 1 0 -1 51. Assessment services of abilities to occupy a job 1 0 -1 52. Counseling and mediation services on labor market 1 0 -1 53. Support in looking for a job, including accompaniment 1 0 -1 54. Services of professional training for adults 1 0 -1 55. Enterprise of social economy 1 0 -1 61. Activities of school sports club, football team and similar 1 0 -1 62. Activities of children’s club, folkloric group, other relevant spare time 1 0 -1 activities 71. Services of social dwelling (ANL dwellings, social dwellings, necessity 1 0 -1 dwellings etc.) 164 SSoc3. Which of the following interventions/activities are ensured by NS/ Yes No NR the service ...? 72. Support for home renovation or arrangement 1 0 -1 81. Services of legal assistance 1 0 -1 82. Accommodation 1 0 -1 83. Hot meals 1 0 -1 84. Food packages 1 0 -1 85. Homework 1 0 -1 86. Transport of children/youth/families to/from work 1 0 -1 30. Others, which: 1 0 -1 a. b. c. d. e. SSoc4. The service ...? a. is it physically accessible to any child (including to persons with 1. Yes 0. No reduced mobility or who use a wheelchair) b. has alternative information and communication means (For instance, in Braille language for blind persons, or by means of icons or a language easy to understand for persons with learning 1. Yes 0. No -7. NC difficulties, is there an interpreter for sign language required for persons with hearing disabilities etc.) d. has assisting technologies or equipment 1. Yes 0. No -7. NC e. has a room which can be used as relaxation, rest or neuromotor 1. Yes 0. No -7. NC recovery for children with disabilities f. has personnel with a positive attitude to the specific needs of 1. Yes 0. No children with particular care needs c. has a daily program which can be adjusted to the needs of each child (in case of children with complex deficiencies, of those with 1. Yes 0. No chronical diseases, of those with distorted behaviours or behaviour distortions, of persons with problems of mental health) SSoc5. During the last 12 months, what are the costs the beneficiaries have to bear to access this service? What did the beneficiaries have to pay for? Transport, analyses, documentation...? a. b. c. SSoc6. And approximately what amount would a beneficiary pay ... RON to benefit from your services? 165 SSoc3. Which of the following interventions/activities are ensured by NS/ Yes No NR the service ...? SSoc7. About how much are the monthly costs of beneficiaries to ... RON/month enjoy your services? -7. NC SSoc8. Is the service accredited? 1. Yes 0. No -7. NC If the service is from the functional micro-zone (neighboring villages) SSoc9. During the last 12 months, did this service have 0. Yes 1. No -1. NS/NR beneficiaries in the selected source commune ( read the commune name)? SSoc10. On a scale from 1 to 10, how efficient do you think ... -1. Cannot say - yourservice is in preventing separation from family or the -7. NC protection of children separated from the family? 166 A2.6. Potential funding sources to develop services in the community (1) Operational Program Human Capital (POCU), Priority Axis 4 – Social inclusion and poverty control aims, among others: • to reduce the number of persons facing the risk of poverty or social exclusion from Roma and non-Roma disadvantaged communities. • to reduce the number of persons in vulnerable groups by providing social/medical/socio- professional/vocational training services adequate to specific needs. • to increase the number of persons benefitting of medical assistance services in the community. • to reduce the number of children and young peopleplaced in institutions by providing services at community level • to increase the number of young peopleleaving the institutionalized system (up to the age of 18 years) ready for an independent life. • to increase the number of maternal and social assistance at community level. • to reduce the number of elder persons and of those with disabilities placed in residential institutions by providing social and medical services at community level, including long-term services • to increase the quality of the social assistance system by introducing instruments/procedures/mechanisms etc. and by improving the competences of the professionals in the system • to increase the number of persons benefitting of social assistance services at community level • to increase the use/application of ITC solutions (e-social assistance, electronic services etc.) in the supply of social services • to improve the competences level of professionals in the medical field • to increase the number of persons benefitting from health programs and services focused on prevention, early screening, early diagnosis and treatment for the main pathologies • to promote social entrepreneurships and vocational integration in social enterprises and social and joint economy to facilitate labor force occupation • to strengthen the capacity of enterprises in social economy to operate in a self-sustaining manner (2) Operational Program Human Capital (POCU), Priority Axis 3 – Promotion of a sustainable and qualitative employment and supportingthe mobility of the labor force includes contributions to the achievement of the objectives regarding the access to jobs for persons in search of a job and for inactive persons, including for long term unemployed and for the persons with small hiring chances, including by local hiring and support initiatives for the labor force mobility and independent activities, entrepreneurships and establishment of enterprises, including micro-enterprises and innovating small and medium sized enterprises. (4) Operational Program Human Capital (POCU), Priority Axis 6 – Education and competences supports the services/interventions aimed at promoting a sustainable and qualitative employment and supportingthe mobility of the labor forceand investments in education, qualification and professional training to obtain competences and for a life-long learning by focusing the projects on the needs of NEETs youths or on the attendance of before pre-school and pre-school education, mainly of groups with risk of early school dropout, with a focus on children from the Roma minority and of those from rural areas. 167 (5) Regional Development Operational Program (POR), Priority Axis 8 – development of sanitary and social infrastructure, including activities such as rehabilitation/ modernization/ extension/ equipment of medical services infrastructure (ambulatories, emergency rooms), construction/ rehabilitation/ modernization/ endowment of community centers of integrated community intervention, rehabilitation/ modernization/ endowment of the social services infrastructure without a residential component, construction/rehabilitation of family type dwellings, protected dwellings, etc. (6) Regional Development Operational Program (POR), Priority Axis9 – Support of economic and social regeneration of disadvantaged communities in the urban area by making investments within the local development strategies in the commune’s responsibility. (7) Regional Development Operational Program (POR), Priority Axis 10 – investments in education, training and vocational training for competences and life-long learning include the construction/ rehabilitation/ modernization/ endowment of before pre-school (nurseries) and pre-school (kindergartens) education infrastructure and for the mandatory general education (schools I� VIII); rehabilitation/ modernization/extension/ endowment of the infrastructure of vocational schools, technological high schools; rehabilitation/modernization/ extension/endowmentof the university education infrastructure. (8) Rural Development Operational Program (PNDR) 2014-2020, Key Area of Intervention regarding the Promotion of social inclusion, of poverty reduction and of economic development in rural areas includes support for the development of educational, medical and social infrastructure and for strategies generated at local level, which assure integrated approaches for local development. (LEADER). (9) Operational Program for the Aid of Disadvantaged Persons (POAD) contributes to the strengthening of social cohesion and the reduction of extreme poverty by distribution of basic food (under the form of packages with food and cooked meals), school supplies for children, layettes, clothing and footwear and products of hygiene for most disadvantaged. The main target groups of the program include for, food and material scarcity, families with minimum secured income, families with children benefitting for family support allowance, homeless families, aged persons with a pension below RON 450/month, etc. As for the distribution of school supplies, they are dedicated to the Children enlisted in the state, primary and secondary state education, meeting the income criteria established by the National Program for School Supplies. 168 Project co-funded from the European Social Fund through the Administrative Capacity Operational Program 2014-2020! „Development of Plans for the De-Institutionalization of Children Deprived of Parental Care and their Transfer to Community-Based Care� Code MySMIS 119193/SIPOCA 2 National Authority for The Protection of Children Rights and Adoption December 2018 This report does not necessarily represent the position of the European Union or the Romanian Government. Free material