Romani Children in the Hungarian Child Protection System
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European Roma Rights Centre DIS-INTEREST OF THE CHILD Romani Children in the Hungarian Child Protection System Dis-Interest of the Child Romani Children in the Hungarian Child Protection System ERRC DIS-INTEREST OF THE CHILD: ROMANI CHILDREN IN THE HUNGARIAN CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM Copyright: © European Roma Rights Centre, December 2007 ISBN 978-963-87747-0-5 Cover graphic: Szandra Váraljai Printed by: Westimprim bt. in Budapest, Hungary. — 5 — DIS-INTEREST OF THE CHILD: ROMANI CHILDREN IN THE HUNGARIAN CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................................... 7 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 9 2. METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................ 13 3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................... 17 4. INTRODUCTION TO THE HUNGARIAN CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM ................................... 19 5. THE RIGHT OF CHILDREN TO PROTECTION ................................................................... 23 5.1 International Law Related to Institutionalisation .......................................... 25 5.2 International and Domestic Law Regarding Adoption ................................. 26 5.3 International and Domestic Law Related to Placement in Institutions for the Mentally Disabled ........................................................................... 26 5.4 Data Protection Considerations .................................................................. 28 6. THE OVER-REPRESENTATION OF ROMANI CHILDREN IN STATE CARE ................................. 33 6.1 The Proportion of Romani Children in State Care ........................................ 35 6.2 Factors Contributing to the Over-Representation of Romani Children in State Care in Hungary ............................................................................... 39 6.3 Romani Children Disproportionately Sentenced to a Life in the System with an Administrative Decision ...................................................... 54 6.4 The Question of Ethnic Identity in Adoption Processes ............................... 65 6.5 Disproportionate Categorisation of Romani Children in State Care as Mentally Disabled ..................................................................................... 79 6.6 Structural Problems in the Child Protection System and Their Impact on Romani Children ...................................................................................... 92 7. GOOD PRACTICES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES ................................................................ 99 7.1 The United States .......................................................................................... 99 7.2 Canada ......................................................................................................... 100 7.3 England ....................................................................................................... 101 8. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION BY THE HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT ............................. 103 9. BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................... 113 10. ANNEXES ............................................................................................................ 117 — 5 — DIS-INTEREST OF THE CHILD: EUROPEAN ROMA RIGHTS CENTRE ROMANI CHILDREN IN THE HUNGARIAN CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM 10.1 Map of the regional division of Hungary ............................................... 117 10.2 Breakdown of focus groups composition ............................................... 118 10.3 List of the institutions and professionals visited during field research ........................................................................................... 119 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Origin of Children Living in Hungarian Children’s Homes ................ 38 Table 2: Estimated Percentage of Romani Children Amongst the Clientele of the Basic Child Welfare Service ...................................................... 40 Table 3: Education of Children Living in Hungarian Children’s Homes ........... 89 Table 4: Ethnic Breakdown of Special Education Representation in Hungarian Children’s Homes ............................................................... 90 Table 5: Comparison of Children in Professional Care Attending Mainstream and Special Learning Needs Classes ................................ 91 LIST OF TEXTBOXES 1. The Impact of Usury on the Institutionalisation of Romani Children ................. 42 2. European Court of Human Rights on Child Protection ....................................... 52 3. Rejection by Educators ........................................................................................ 82 4. Confusion Resulting from Different Terminology in the Child Protection System and the Education System ....................................................................... 88 — 6 — — 7 — DIS-INTEREST OF THE CHILD: EUROPEAN ROMA RIGHTS CENTRE ROMANI CHILDREN IN THE HUNGARIAN CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report was produced by the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC). Tara Bedard authored the final report. This report is based on desk research and reports written on the basis of focus group studies by the following persons: dr Maria Nemenyi produced the report on Romani children and institutionalisation; dr Maria Herczog produced the report on Romani children and adoption; dr Gabor Havas produced the report on Romani children and institutions for the mentally disabled; dr Judit Szilagyi produced the legal analysis regarding the preservation of ethnic identity in protective care and mental disability issues; and Anna Kende conducted the analysis of existing literature. The following ERRC staff members, consultants and interns conducted supplementary field research in Hungary, which also contributed to this report: Tara Bedard, Sinan Gokcen, Ostalinda Maya, Robert Mida, Monika Pacziga, Catherine Twigg and Katya Ivanova. ERRC staff members, consultants and interns Theodoros Alexandridis, dr Anita Danka, Patricia Devenyi, Vera Gergely, Natalya Kravchuk, Sarah Lysecki, Robert Mida, Monika Pacziga, Sarahbeth Sanders and Catherine Twigg conducted additional desk research or otherwise assisted in the production of this report. Expert working group members dr Gabor Havas, dr Maria Herczog, Laszlo Molnar, dr Maria Nemenyi, dr Lajos Orosz, dr Miklos Radoszav, dr Anges Torda, Aranka Varga and dr Gabriella Varju provided comments and feedback on the research reports and the recommendations included in this report. ERRC staff members Savelina Danova, Natalya Kravchuk, Larry Olomoofe, Monika Pacziga and Vera Gergely provided comments on the final draft. Vera Egenberger provided final editorial comments and approved the report for publication. Dzavit Berisha did the layout and design of this publication. Eszter Varsa translated the original English version into Hungarian. Michael Kentish proofread the English report. Vera Gergely, Monika Pacziga and dr Miklos Radoszav proofread the Hungarian translation. * * * The ERRC would like to express its particular thanks to the Romani and non- Romani children living in Hungarian child care homes and adoptive homes, and the Romani and non-Romani parents (natural, foster and adoptive), who shared their — 6 — — 7 — DIS-INTEREST OF THE CHILD: EUROPEAN ROMA RIGHTS CENTRE ROMANI CHILDREN IN THE HUNGARIAN CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM life experiences in the course of the research. In addition, the ERRC is grateful to the professionals from regional child protection services, guardianship agencies, child welfare agencies and children’s homes; as well as child’s rights representatives, district nurses, specialised educators and family care representatives etc., who voluntarily spent their time providing information about the situation of Romani children in the Hungarian state care system. The ERRC would also like to thank the following persons in the Hungarian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Culture for their advise and input throughout the preparatory phase for this report: dr Timea Borovszky, Gabor Bernath, Judit Deli, Gabor Szarkozi, dr Andor Urmos, dr Virag Vass. Research towards and the publication of this report was carried out within the project “Law and policy: Actions to achieve full respect of children’s rights in the Hungarian child protection system”, supported by the EU within the framework of the programme “Support of civil society in the Member States which acceded to the EU on 1st May 2004.” Additional funding was provided by ERRC core donors Open Society Institute, Hungarian National Civil Fund and The Sigrid Rausing Trust. The contents and use of this report are solely the responsibility of the ERRC. — 8 — — 9 — DIS-INTEREST OF THE CHILD: EUROPEAN ROMA RIGHTS CENTRE ROMANI CHILDREN IN THE HUNGARIAN CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM 1. INTRODUCTION According to statistics published by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, in 2005 (the most recent data available), 17,456 children below the age of 18 were in state care under the supervision of a state-appointed legal guardian. Of those children, 14,907 children were in short-term care, 1,764 children were in long-term care and 785 were in a temporary centre awaiting placement.1 It is widely held to be true that the