The Social and Vocational Integration of Former Users of the Child Protection System in Romania: A Qualitative Study

Dănuț Bălăuță, Alexandru Neagoe, Marius Vasiluță Ștefănescu and Ovidiu Florin Toderici
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Dănuț Bălăuță: The Department of Social Work, The West University of Timișoara, 300223 Timișoara, Romania
Alexandru Neagoe: The Department of Social Work, The West University of Timișoara, 300223 Timișoara, Romania
Marius Vasiluță Ștefănescu: The Department of Sociology, The West University of Timișoara, 300223 Timișoara, Romania
Ovidiu Florin Toderici: The Faculty of Educational Science, Psychology and Social Work, Aurel Vlaicu University, 310130 Arad, Romania

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 12, 1-18

Abstract: The social and vocational integration of vulnerable groups is an important aspect of social sustainability. Former users of the residential child protection system represent such a group. The purpose of our research was to investigate the social and vocational integration of individuals raised in the child protection system in Romania. Their experiences during and after their time in residential care are analyzed. The research sample was composed of 23 interviewees (18 male and 5 female) with an average age of thirty-five at the time of the interview ( SD = 7.49). Our research method was a qualitative one, based on a semi-structured interview. The results paint a generally bleak image of life in such institutions, both before the fall of communism in Romania in December 1989 and subsequently. In addition, the respondents’ transition from institutional life to independent living was full of challenges. Nevertheless, most of the respondents have demonstrated a remarkable level of resilience, based on factors such as education, self-esteem, work, a life partner and the ability to acquire new skills. As a general conclusion, our study has shown that a sustainable social development plan should include social policies which strive for the de-institutionalization of the child protection system by preventing the separation of children from their biological families or, where necessary, by finding family-type solutions for children in difficulty. If institutional childcare is to continue, it must be accompanied by consistent efforts to prepare these children for their transition to independent living.

Keywords: child protection system; youth; institutionalization; institutional care; social and vocational integration; Romania (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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