Home > Arhiva > 2021 > Numar: 3 > Tineri instituţionalizaţi în România. Percepţia propriei vieţi înainte şi în timpul pandemiei

Tineri instituţionalizaţi în România. Percepţia propriei vieţi înainte şi în timpul pandemiei [Young People Institutionalized in Romania. Perception of their Own Life before and During the Pandemic]

Cosmina Barac (University of Bucharest, Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, Bd. Schitu Măgureanu, No. 9, Romania, E-mail: barac.cosmina@yahoo.com)
Rebeca Popescu (University of Bucharest, Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, Bd. Măgureanu Schitu, no. 9, Romania & National Probation Directorate, E-mail: rebeca.popescu@unibuc.ro, rebecapopescu@yahoo.com)

The article presents a short situation of teenagers and young residents of social protection institutions and continues with a qualitative research, regarding perception of the former resident’s life. Young people who benefited from the foster care measures or institutionalization during their childhood, were interviewed regarding their life in foster care and in institutions. Because the interviews took place during the restriction imposed due to COVID-19 pandemic, the interviewers drew attention to three aspects, which could be negatively influence the life in foster care and in institutions: isolation, poor hygiene and lack of resources for online study. In Romania, 18% of the beneficiaries of the special protection system are adolescents and young people, and those who succeeded as adults had a quality interaction with Child Protection Services employees, have long-term friendships with other beneficiaries and persevered in the individual study.

Keywords: abandonment, placement, social integration, COVID-19 pandemic, Romania