Alarming Phenomen Of Infant Abandonment

Abstract

The child abandonment phenomenon was influence by the cultural and historical period. In Romania, historical and political contexts are interlocked, the communist regime having still the major impact over the idea of child abandonment. The last decades were marked by the interest for deinstitutionalization and promoting alternative measures for each child who is deprived of his parents’ protection. However, child abandonment in Romanian hospitals continues to be high. The group age most vulnerable to hospitalization is the newborn children. Between 2008 – 2015, every year were abandoned in hospitals between 624 and 942 new-borns. Methodology: Secondary analyses of national data referring to hospitalized children, available on the Romanian Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Protection site. Conclusion: During the communist regime, child abandonment phenomenon was raised, and legislative changes in 2000s have contributed to the reduction of the number of institutionalized children, but did not led to the decrease of the number of abandoned children in maternities. The child abandonment and especially the newborn’s, continue to be a social problem affecting these children, but also the Romanian Society. During 2008 – 2015, 2 new-borns were abandoned in all Romanian maternities everyday. The time spent in hospital without the emotion connection of a caregiver, can cause psychological problems and also attachments disorders and is necessary to adjust legislation and promote alternatives at the newborn abandonment. It is also necessary to educate young people and inform them previous and during pregnancy so that no pregnant woman at-risk abandonment to leave her child in maternity.