In the Best Interests of the Children?: An Analysis of Romanian Adoption Policy and the Situation Facing Unparented Children Today

This thesis looks at current Romanian adoption policy and the protection of unparented children within the country. The research aims to answer the question: In what ways does current Romanian adoption policy protect or fail to protect the best interests of the child? Once home to some of the world’s most deficient orphanages, Romania continues to house a large number of children in institutions, without access to intercountry adoption (ICA). This thesis explores why the country shut down ICA, the conditions within the institutions today, and the reasons for child abandonment in Romania. The work includes an empirical analysis highlighting the slow pace of deinstitutionalization, small percentage of children deemed eligible for adoption, and low numbers of adoptions since shutting down ICA. This research illustrates the importance of resuming intercountry adoption in Romania, expanding familial support services, as well as establishing greater protections for the country’s unparented children.Bachelor of Art