By Elizabeth Lightfoot, PhD

The following blog is part two of a five-part series providing an overview of the history of institutionalization of children in Romania and its effects on children both in Romania and on those adopted in the United States. We’re pleased to have guest blogger and School of Social Work faculty member Elizabeth Lightfoot who is currently participating in a Fulbright scholarship in Romania. She will be joined by Young Ji Yoon, MSW, who conducted simultaneous research about adoption from Romania in the United States.

Want to learn more? Join us for a free webinar on June 25th, 2019. Dr. Lightfoot will host “History and current trends in institutionalization and inter-country adoption of Romanian children: Implications for child welfare practice in the USA” from Romania. Find out more details and / or register today.

After the international community learned about the widespread institutionalization of children in Romania in 1990, nonprofit organizations and prospective adoptive parents rushed to Romania with the intent of adopting children from institutions. Romania had no functioning child protection system to protect children living in institutions or oversee adoption, and no trained social workers to work with children and adoptive families. Thousands of children were adopted internationally from Romania during the early 1990s, many under questionable circumstances. Stories emerged of baby brokers handling the “sale” of infants from poor Romanian women to western adoptive parents, while few of the older children with disabilities living in institutions were adopted by Romanian or international adoptive parents.

A series of laws were adopted beginning in 1991 with the intention of regulating inter-country adoption and setting up a new child welfare system. The social work profession was re-established, with the first trained social workers graduating in 1994. A Child Protection Commission was established in 1998. However, concerns persisted regarding high rates of institutionalization and unregulated inter-country adoption. Eventually, Romania was forced to suspend inter-country adoption in 2001 as a condition of joining the European Union (EU). Inter-country adoption was abolished entirely in 2004, and Romania was allowed to join the EU in 2007.

Romanian inter-country adoption mostly ceased as of 2004. For example, from 1999-2001 there were 2,507 Romanian children adopted by U.S. citizens living in the U.S., while from 2002-2005 there were 428 Romanian children adopted by U.S. citizens living in the U.S. From 2005-2011, there were only occasional adoptions of Romanian children by U.S. citizens under special circumstances.

Romania re-opened inter-country adoption in 2012, but ONLY to those whom were Romanian citizens living abroad. This allows for only limited amounts of international adoption from Romania. For example, there have been only 13 Romanian children adopted by U.S. citizens living in the U.S. from 2012-2017 since the law re-opened.

Key Events Related to International Adoption and Child Protection in Romania

  • Law 233/2011 – Intercountry Adoption Opened to Romanian Citizens Abroad

    Beginning in 2012, a new law allowed Romanian citizens living abroad and their spouses to adopt Romanian children internationally. This allowed for Romanians who were dual citizens of other countries or living in other countries to adopt Romanian children. Those adopting from abroad would be required to come to Romania for 30 days before adopting a child.

  • International Media Reports about Orphan Crisis in Romania

    Two reports from ABC’s 20/20 expose the widespread institutionalization crisis in Romania. There were an estimated 170,000 to 200,000 children living in institutions. Thousands of people from North America and Western Europe come to Romania to adopt children.

  • Social Work Education Banned in Romania

    Social work education was limited in 1952, and banned entirely throughout the country in 1969. The rationale was that the profession of social work was not needed in a communist society which met everyone’s needs. For over 30 years there were no social workers trained to work with children or people with disabilities.

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Suggested Citation: Lightfoot, E. (2019). International adoption from Romania: A timeline. [Blog post]. Retrieved from: https://cascw.umn.edu/featured/international-adoption-from-romania-a-timeline-2-of-5/

Relevant Resources for Further Research:

Anghel, R., Herczog, M., & Dima, G. (2013). The challenge of reforming child protection in Eastern Europe: The cases of Hungary and Romania. Psychosocial Intervention, 22(3), 239-249.

Bainham, A. (2003). International adoption from Romania-why the moratorium should not be ended. Child & Family Law Quarterly, 15, 223.

Commission On Security And Cooperation In Europe, U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. (2005, September 14). In The Best Interest Of The Children? Romania’s Ban On Inter-Country Adoption. Hearing Hearing Before The Commission On Security And Cooperation In Europe. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Dickens, J., & Groza, V. (2004). Empowerment in difficulty: A critical appraisal of international intervention in child welfare in Romania. International Social Work, 47(4), 469-487.

Groza, V., & Bunkers, K. M. (2014). Adoption policy and evidence‐based domestic adoption practice: A comparison of Romania, Ukraine, India, Guatemala, and Ethiopia. Infant mental health journal, 35(2), 160-171.

Hague Conference on Private International Law. (2018). 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption: 25 Years of Protecting Children in Intercountry Adoption. The Hague, Netherlands: Hague Conference on Private International Law.

Independent Group for International Adoption Analysis. (2002). Re-organising the international adoption and child protection system: Final Report.  Bucharest: Romanian Government

Iusmen, I. (2012). Romania’s Accession to the EU and the EU Children’s Rights Agenda: Policy Entrepreneurship and Feedback Effects. Perspectives on European Politics and Society, 13(2), 210-225.

Johnson, A. K., Edwards, R. L., & Puwak, H. I. L. D. E. G. A. R. D. (1993). Foster care and adoption policy in Romania: Suggestions for international intervention. Child Welfare, 72, 489-489.

Nelson, C. A. (2014). Romania’s abandoned children. Harvard University Press.

UNICEF Romania (2005). The situation of child abandonment in Romania. Bucharest, UNICEF

USAID. (2006). USAID and child welfare reform in Romania: Challenges, successes, and legacy, Washington: USAID.