Thousands of children and families helped by a sustainable model that breaks the vicious circle of exclusion

Bucharest, 18 December 2023. Two and a half years after the launch, together with its partners, UNICEF presented, in a public event hosted by the Chamber of Deputies, the most important results of the "Romania for Every Child" Initiative supported by Norway through Norwegian Grants under the Local Development Programme administered by the Romanian Social Development Fund. The expertise acquired by UNICEF and its partners in the project has been disseminated to other local authorities and will be used in the establishment and operationalization of other Integrated Community Centers, including the 200 integrated centres funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, whose services will benefit vulnerable children and their communities.

More than 7,200 child parents benefited, between June 2021 and September 2023, from the services of the five integrated community centres set up in the municipalities of Brasov, Bacau, Moinesti and the communes of Colonești and Corbasca. For many children and parents in need, without material possibilities and living in isolated communities, the integrated community centres are the only possibility to benefit from free quality services in different areas: social, medical, educational, psychological, kinesiotherapy, speech therapy, the community centres serve not only the localities where they are established, but also the surrounding communities.

"Romania has made a lot of progress over the last 30 years in promoting and respecting children's rights. However, children with disabilities, those in rural areas and from low-income families still face many challenges. By providing integrated community services, the five centres in Bacau, Moinesti, Colonești, Corbasca and Brasov have offered an oasis of hope to vulnerable children and families and are efficient and cost-effective. The experience gained can be used to develop the 200 integrated community centres in the PNRR," said Dumitrița Gliga, Chair of the Education Committee of the Chamber of Deputies.

"Romania for every child" also has an important component, in the field of child participation: the UNICEF-led initiative that supports municipal governments in realizing the rights of children at the local level using the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as its foundation.As part of this, the situation analysis of the child rights was conducted and preliminary local action plans for Bacău, Brașov and Moinești were developed. These children's structures have been approved by local council resolutions as children's consultative structures participating in local decision-making. Folowing consultations between local authorities and local children's councils, proposals from children in the five localities have been integrated into the approved local budgets for 2023,

"The need to involve young people and children in the decision-making process in their communities is crucial not only for the future of Romania, but also for its present. Children are the future and the present, and the Child Friendly Cities Initiative gives young people a relevant place in the decision-making process", said Horia, member of the Brasov Local Council of Children and of the Romanian Children's Board.

“When excluded and marginalised vulnerable children are empowered, they can transform into resourceful citizens, who contribute to the welfare, growth, and development of their communities.

I am pleased that EEA and Norway Grants have contributed to improving the living conditions of vulnerable children from several rural and urban localities in Romania and would like to express the hope that national and local financial and personnel resources will be made available to continue and expand the important work that UNICEF has started through this project,” said Her Excellency Siri Barry, the Norwegian Ambassador in Bucharest.

The capacity of school staff to promote quality inclusive education has also been strengthened under "Romania for Every Child" initiative. Results include better parenting education for pupils, after 110 teachers were trained as parent educators. In addition, 240 teachers developed their skills in digital education, inclusive education and social-emotional skills in 36 workshops.

"<Romania for Every Child> continues. UNICEF will keep working with its partners to ensure that every child in Romania has access to essential services, including health, protection, education and participation in decision-making. I thank all our partners in this project, at local, county and central level. Special thanks go to the Norwegian state and the Norwegian Embassy, which has invested and continues to invest heavily in social programmes in Romania. We also thank the Romanian Social Development Fund, with whom we have worked excellently in the implementation of the project", said Anna Riatti, UNICEF Representative in Romania.

The "Romania for Every Child. Ensuring social inclusion - breaking the vicious circle of exclusion for the most vulnerable children in Romania" initiative is being implemented in five localities in the counties of Bacau and Brasov and benefits from a €4.2 million grant from Norway under the Local Development Programme administered by the Romanian Social Development Fund as programme operator. The objective is to contribute to the social inclusion of all children and adolescents, especially vulnerable ones, through quality, equitable and coordinated health, education and child protection services (integrated community and specialised services) and protective social norms.