Orphanages Stunt Mental Growth, a Study Finds
Again the US research on Romanian 'orphans' is in the news, as end of last year it's findings were published in Science.
The researchers now argue that this research was meant to promote foster care and was at the basis of Romania's child protection reform.
Helas, the reality is much more complex and troubling.
This reseach, by 4 American Universities and SERA Romania, was done at a time when the Romanian reform was already well underway.
As part of the priority to close babyhomes, the Romanian government had plans to close this 'orphanage' which had been serving as shopping window for intercountry adoptions. But this closure was delayed many years - most probably because the research needed first to be finalised.
The randomly selected children who served as guinea pigs had to remain institutionalised throughout the study.
This project came under heavy criticism in Romania, whereby the US side denied that their research had anything to do with intercountry adoption:
http://iht.com/articles/2002/06/06/romania_ed3_.php
However, the below article clearly shows it was about intercountry adoption:
http://www.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/icmh/adoption.html
I personally visited this research project in June 2001 and those interested in the full story can find a detailed reporting of this in my book.
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1 comment:
This study of institutionalized children in Romania by three U.S. universities and supported by the MacArthur Foundation has done nothing to help children in difficulties either in Romania or to benifit others in the same situation in other countries.
The plain fact is that this study was NOT a basis for Romanian childcare reforms, as they were all ready underway within the country before this study started, plus anyone with an ounce of common sense, care and understanding can clearly appreciate that the child is far better of in every way back home with its parents or close relatives, than in any institution.
I worked in those old institutions and thank the Lord they are now a part of Romania's past and children have a brighter future after the reforms that gave them their rights back.
Scientist are not needed to bring happiness to children, real people are!
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