19:33 Ten years on from the Romanian Revolution, around 100-thousand orphans remain in institutions - exactly the same number as during Ceausescu's time.
19:44 Harsh economic conditions have left most families struggling financially.
19:52 Baby Maria's mother left her at a hospital a few days after her birth. For now, Sighet Orphanage is her only home. Romanian children continue to be abandoned by mothers unable to cope.
20:06 Ten years ago this month, the world was shocked by pictures of children living in squalid conditions, often several to a cot, without proper sanitation or heating.
20:16 Millions of dollars were raised as charities and aid organisations were spurred into action.
20:22 Things have improved, but a lot of the aid was short term, and much of it mismanaged.
20:28 As a result, there is often not enough money for basics.
20:34 Recently, this orphanage in the north west of the country was forced to appeal for food from local factories. As it is, food is inadequate and malnutrition is not uncommon.
20:44 Tudor was one of the lucky ones, adopted by a family at the age of four.
20:51 He's now a social worker for the European Children's Trust.
20:55 The ECT is working towards closing the orphanages, and encouraging fostering within local families. Tudor understands only too well the benefits of family life.
21:07 TUDOR CURTEANU, SOCIAL WORKER AND FORMER ORPHAN:
"This isn't an ideal place where a child should grow, but we try, the social workers try to close this building, such institutions, and I am doing my best in this because I was, let's say, one of those children who lived in the leargen and I know how can life be in an institution and how the life is in a family."
21:45 Alexandru and his sister Adela are now enjoying family life after being fostered in the village of Calenesti (PRONOUNCED CALINESH), two of around a hundred children who have found alternative care in the region.
21:58 Little has changed in this part of Romania for centuries.
Shepherds still move their sheep to new pastures as the seasons change.
22:08 Motorised transport is uncommon. These people are on their way to
the weekly market outside Calinesh, as they have always done.
22:19 The majority of people live off the land.
22:25 Things are changing, though. Livelihoods now are not dependent on
animals and crops alone. Up to $40 a month is available for families
willing to foster the country's orphans.
22:43 Gypsy boy Attila is one of 23 orphans fostered in the village.
22:52 He's enjoying rural life. Initially shy and reserved, he's now learnt to relax. His foster mother has two natural children, but wanted to help another child. And the money helps too. She says Attila' flourishing within the family.
23:15 MARIA BERCU, FOSTER PARENT, IN ROMANIAN, WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION:
"Children in institutions are not looked after properly. There's not enough staff to care for all their individual needs."
23:25 Andreea was taken in by Maria Balin earlier this year. Maria
heard about the fostering scheme from her local priest. Although she
has land and animals, she was officially unemployed with no regular
income.
23:42 MARIA BALIN, FOSTER PARENT, IN ROMANIAN, WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION:
"Because of my age, there aren't many jobs that I can do, so I thought
if I fostered a child, it would be good for both me and the child."
23:58 Ever since they were abandoned in an orphanage, Alexandru and
Adela have been inseparable. Now they live within an extended family.
24:14 Adela was fostered by Vasile, and her brother by Vasile's sister.
The children live next door to each other, and play together most of the
day. Vasile says one extra child isn't any great burden.
24:27 VASILE BERCI, FOSTER PARENT, IN ROMANIAN WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION:
"I didn't do it for the money, it was just a humanitarian gesture. I
can afford to give food and a bed to an additional child. It's
important that an institutionalised child gets the chance to live in a
family, because an institutionalised child doesn't get the chance to
develop. They are just told what to do, just like a computer."
24:54 MARIA ANDREICA, FOSTER PARENT, IN ROMANIAN WITH ENGLISH
TRANSLATION:
"I love children, and have only one child of my own, so I thought it
would be good for him to have a brother. Financially it's good as it
means I am officially employed so will get a pension."
25:10 ECT Project Manager Eileen Brady says people were initially
suspicious of fostering. Now there's a waiting list of willing foster
parents.
25:19 EILEEN BRADY, PROJECT LEADER:
"Fostering within Romania is very new. It's a new scheme which has been
set up probably for about 18 months and initially people were very
suspicious about it and not quite sure really what it was all about, did
not understand the idea of looking after someone else's children in
their own home. However, after we'd recruited our first group of foster
carers, the interest from that grew and we have had an overwhelming
response and currently we have 46 foster carers but also we have
probably at least another 100 people who are on a waiting list and would
like to be considered for fostering."
26:59 Last year Romania set up a state department for child protection,
with power devolved to local authorities. It's a more advanced system
than most European countries, set up under pressure from the European
Union. Changing long-established Romanian attitudes to child care,
though, is not easy.
26:17 CRISTIAN TABACARU, MINISTER FOR CHILD PROTECTION:
"It is very difficult to change the traditional accepted opinion that
the state is raising children because for years and years in this
country, the state substituted the family responsibilities of the
child. It is difficult to do it because of the economic crisis period
and it is more difficult to do it in an administrative system that is
working for more than 20 to 30 years."
26:52Since 1990, 40 per cent of orphaned children have been put into
alternative care. Despite this, Romanian orphanages are still
struggling to cope. Child experts say that even with the improvements,
they are not ideal places for children. Next year this orphanage is set
to close, with many of the children going into foster care. They are
the lucky ones, they have the backing of western charities. The
government may be keen to encourage fostering, but, as ever, money is in
short supply.
27:27 ENDS