In 1994, Mark Cook, Chief Commander of the UN Forces in Croatia went down into a cellar of a bombed building, without realizing that his life and the lives of hundreds of children will suffer a dramatic change. In the cellar of what used to be the orphanage in Lipik, Mark found many terrified children, most of them in shock and very traumatized of what seemed to be an endless war. He promised them that he will rebuild their home, and this is how Hope and Homes for Children was born. Today, Hope and Homes has projects in 14 countries in Africa and Central and Eastern Europe. Each project is different, because it is responding to the individual needs of the children. FOR MORE DETAILS, PLEASE VISIT www.hopeandhomes.org

In Romania, only in 1997 did people admit that the rezidential type of homes were a problem, and that a major change of the child protection system was in order. There were public services specialized in the field of child protection that were created whithin the local counties. Nevertheless, no important changes occured. The real starting point of the reform took place in 2001, when the international adoptions were stopped, and the consolidation of alternative services based on the family concept began.

Given this background, Hope and Homes for Children began its activity in Romania in 1998, when the collaboration between the organization and the Child Protection Directorate of the Maramures County started. The first action carried out together was the closing of the Cavnic Leagan, that represented the beginning of the end for the rezidential type of homes. Since then, HHC Romania has supported the deinstitutionalization proces, by offering assistance to the local authorities, in order to develop alternative services, to close down the big institutions, and to make sure that all the children in situations of risk can grow up in the loving environment of a family or a small family home. From the deserts of Africa to the mountains of Maramures, the thing that all our projects have in common is our long-term commitment towards each and every child. We offer them the certainty that all their rights are respected, that they can grow up in a safe and loving environment by meeting all their needs for them to become healthy, happy and independent adults.
The rest is up to them!

The Accomplishments of Hope and Homes for Children Romania
The main objective of Hope and Homes for Children Romania is to develop viable alternative services in the field of child protection, in the Maramures County. HHC Romania has the support and collaboration of the DGJPDC Maramures, the Local Council, ISTPH Maramures, and of other organizations that operate in the child protection system or in other fields related to that (health, education, etc.).

Our activity so far has included:
Closing down five standard rezidential institutions:

1. Placement Center for Children between 0 and 3 years old, Cavnic
2. Placement Center for Pre-school Children Victor Babes, Baia Mare
3. Placement Center for Severe Special Needs Children, Sighetu Marmatiei
4. Placement Center for Children between 0 and 3 years old, Sighetu Marmatiei
5. Placement Center for School Children With Learning Disabilities, Gardani.

• Creating 58 family-type alternative services: 38 small family homes in partnership with state authorities, 3 small family homes in partnership with reprezentatives of the Romanian Orthodox Church, 6 day centers, 2 mother-and-baby units 2 emergency reception centers, 1 counselling center, 3 small family homes created on the model of foster care parents, a project of family reintegration of children coming from institutions, a prevention program for cases of abandonment - offering family support, a project supporting foster care.
• Creating a Guide of Procedures in Child Abuse situations
• Creating a Professional Federation of NGOs for Social Care (PROFAS).
• Participating in implementing a pilot-project of ensuring the continuity of protection given to the special needs people, when moving on from the child stage to the adult stage.
• Offering support to more than 2100 children, as the direct beneficiaries of our services.
• At the moment, four standard rezidential institutions are being closed down, and 12 family-type alternative services are being created.

The Objectives of Hope and Homes for Children Romania:
Putting into practice the Children's Rights
Active participation in the reform of the child protection system.
Preventing the separation of the child from the family.
Supporting the process of dezinstitutionalization.
Intervention in cases of child abuse.
Participating in establishing an infrastructure of services based on the concept of family, that respond to the individual needs of the children.
Closing down the standard rezidential institutions.
Disseminating models of good practice and training.
Actively involving the community in the problems of the children in difficult situations.
We will consider our mission accomplished when all the residential-type of institutions are closed down, and when prevention services and family-type of residential services have replaced them.