Work

The Children’s High Level Group

Although huge challenges still remain, Romania has done more to reform its child welfare system than any other country in Eastern and Central Europe . Thanks to the political will of successive Romanian governments (since 2001) as well as generous support from the EU and other donors, Romania has really “turned the corner” in this regard. Not only are most of the institutionalized children out of the large state institutions, but it is no longer legal to send babies to institutions – a practice that was encouraged by the international adoption industry in the 1990s.

An important input for child welfare reform came from the High Level Group for Romanian Children , a government-led policy making body which brought together all those involved in child welfare reform – ministries of health, labour and education, international actors such as UNICEF as well as the churches and civil society. The High Level Group for Romania’s Children was founded in 2000 by Emma, with the support of European Commissioner Gunther Verheugen and the Romanian Prime Minister.

This structure was the inspiration for the Children’s High Level Group charity. Following the success of Romania ’s child welfare reform process, the Children’s High Level Group was registered as a charity in UK and in Romania . The founding members were Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne MEP, J.K. Rowling, Muir John Potter and Professor Kevin Browne.

The new charity aims to share the Romanian experience with other European countries in the region. Research, publications, seminars and practical projects will be facilitated in Romania and across the region, and the Children’s High Level Group will continue to support the reform process in Romania . The Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova has issued a warm invitation to the Children’s High Level Group to come and share experiences, and help them start the long process of reform – which will in turn bring them closer to the European Union.

Emma made the following comment about the new charity: “The idea is to build on a winning formula and not to drop it. Romania ’s accession into the EU demands new thinking. The informal grouping that the government-led High Level Group for Romanian Children system provides will continue, but with the support of a strong charity. This unique civil society and government partnership is an example of Romania leading the way in terms of policy development in the child welfare sector”.