The placement centers are far from what they should be. Minors who use drugs know their rights and they also know that they don't have to worry. We are not talking about isolated cases, but a routine in which the orphanage staff do not call the police anymore, and so the state, through placement centers, becomes a real help for the drug addicts.


It happens frequently that you hear about the problems that the orphanages are facing in Romania. In Bucharest the situation is the same. Even if there are funds, the legislation is very permissive and  minors understand that.

In District 1, the funds allocated to the General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection are about 60 million for this year. Since 2000, when Ioan Danut Fleaca came, the main focus was closing the centers and moving the children into foster homes. One reason for this action is that the houses are much easier to manage, the large centers are facing with the drug problems.

The daily schedule of an institutionalized child sounds pretty normal. After school, follows the daily written assignments, TV or computer program. No money for other activities, so a good tactic in approaching potential sponsors, is the one that can help funding some field trips for the children.

If a minor thinks that the daily schedule is not OK for him, he can go .... No more night escapes, just a simple note that says "out, in the town" is enough. "Normally, you can't leave the center unless you have a family and after a social investigation to see if there are normal living conditions. There is also a risk that some of them are going to run. We have some centers such as Pinocchio, where street children come and go. It is very difficult to convince them to stay. Many have that street culture, that they feel better in the streets than in the center. But if you are just 18 years old and you want to go, you can risk it. You cannot say that of the 100 children who leave the center, all 100 of them integrate successfully. Nobody expects that. It is all up to us to make them aware of what real life is. If families have the conditions for reintegration, they usually reintegrate; but then again, there are children who run away and then it's more complicated because you call the  police first time, the second time, and so on ... I had some of these rare situations.", said Ioan Danut Fleaca.

At Pinocchio, there were always problems. There are children coming from the streets, with a record or who use drugs. Although they know the typologies encountered here, the security measures haven't increased. Mirela Paun, a counselor at the center, thinks that the 272 Law on the Child Protection Act is the one that allows such slippages. "They are allowed to go out: in the park or to meet friends. Can you put restrictions? The paper says "out, in the city" or “meeting with friends”. We know that they need companions, but using force, keeping them tied ... there is no way to keep them here. For example, when we had 100 children, there were not enough instructors to go out with all of them. They were accompanying just the small ones."

The minors are really at a “meeting with friends”. R, 15 years, grew up in placement centers since forever. Came to Pinocchio a few years ago. He knows that you can now buy a gram of heroin for 40 euros, and he gets a dose with 10. Admits stealing to get money for heroin, but he's not afraid. "They (the police) caught me a bunch of times. What could they do? They sent me here. That was all." He knows that he doesn't have to think about various ways to escape, because the gates are always opened. "I was going “out, in the town” at noon, did my heroin, and came later that evening. Sometimes disappeared for a week or two. I was staying on the streets. We sometimes rented a flat... It's OK on the streets, it's OK in here." R. says that he is off the drugs... since yesterday, but he already knows the program for the next day. "Tomorrow, I'm going to see a man (a man for whom he worked some time ago, that's what he tells) to get my money. I'll take a dose. And after that I'll come back here. I'll inject outside. Here? No. We go outside and then come here". Their teacher, Nela Sarbu, feels the need to intervene and stop the interview. She said that the Pinocchio's director who is on vacation, called.

If R. says that he doesn't need help to stay off the drugs, T. believes that she would not be successful without "the ladies from here". She is 16 years old and started to take drugs at 14. "The first time I started, I went out for a walk with two girls. They did drugs, I didn't ... and then I tried and I could see how it is, the first time. The second time I said "OK, I'll do it ... and went for the glue." The  money was not a problem, a bottle of glue costs 3 euros. "Some said that if you take glue you' ll look stupid, the syringe...that was better; and I said “Fine, let's do it”.  After the first time with the syringe, the next day I wanted some glue, but I couldn't. I was feeling sick from the glue. I had almost a year (of consumption of heroin)." She is half-recovered, that's what “the ladies from the center” are saying.

The kids are trying to design their future, but their recovery is done in a superficial way

"We can say that we had one (totally recovered). We had a consumer of heroin, which now works, he's in Italy, he's alright." The situation at Pinocchio continues to be the same for years, but the legislation hasn't changed. "They have too many rights, and no obligations at all; they know their rights, take advantage of it, and we are powerless. We could intervene at anytime, just by amending the law."

The law 272/2004 guarantees the children rights, but the 2nd section - "Protection of children from drug  use” is the one that should be more closely consulted: "The children for whom was taken a special protection, has the right to maintain relations with the others, just if they don't have a negative influence on the development at physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social level", it's stipulated in Article 71. So the question remains - how can a minor, which is known as a drug addict, leave at anytime from the placement center, knowing that he is going "out, in the city”, with friends, friends who can be easily classified as "persons who have a negative influence on the development at physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social level.”-Article 71.

There are many times when there's a group that goes out directly from the placement center, "in town". "I go out and “feel good”, especially with two guys from here. (“two that are here today”, added their counselor).", said R.. At that time there were 7 "fugitives" wanted by  the police.

One cause that may lead to the perpetuation of drug use, among juveniles in placement centers, could be accepting the behavior of those who have this problem, by the others. "I wouldn't keep a druggie in the center with other children that are not consumers. It's a negative influence and the others are terrorized when you see and hear someone that's having a crisis. There should be special centers.", believes Nela Sarbu, teacher at Pinocchio.

The situation of Pinocchio is representative for the system of Social Assistance and Child Protection, being a place that continues to go in a wrong direction, regardless of a possible evolution of the system.

Therefore, a day center becomes a place to live, to eat, to wash or sleep, and you can leave tomorrow or whenever you want to take a dose of heroin. "There's a vicious circle. They often go into withdrawal, so just not to make a mess around here ... I allow them to go. (If we had more autonomy) then you could have a perspective: this is not so good, you will do this and that, these are the conditions, and then ...". The decline of the day care centers system is recognized by those that are in charge of it, Nela Sarbu filling the place for Sorina Chivoiu, the director of Pinocchio: "Now, for the people that are here ... it's just to help them not to enter among illiterates, and maybe have a job. There aren't the perspectives that were some time ago... drug consumption (the main cause of decline). Until a few years ago, there was none who consumed; while now, you can imagine with this democracy, you can't achieve what we have achieved years ago."

Life in Pinocchio continues with or without the help of the Police or the Ministry of Labor, Family and Social Protection (The General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection District 1 Bucharest, belongs to this ministry). "Sometimes it's a routine. What happens - they go to hearings, they open a file, and the file stays … for further research. I mean, they don't do more than that, the idea, I mean something ... to make them think ...", adds Mirela Paun, the counselor of the center.

About the future of anyone that lives here, there's no one who can say anything for sure. They will stay here until the age of 26, if they are in some form of education, if not, at 18 years old they must leave.
"I want to learn English to go to America.; but I don't think I can leave  ... I never thought (what is she going to do there) but I will find something. I just want to go ..." says T.. As for R., his future is still far away. "I have plenty of time ... three years. I'll see..."