A large number of children with or without parents are taken to boarding schools or medical institutions with closed regime when the guardians refuse to look after them anymore and ask annulling the guardianship granting decision. In the absence of alternative placement services, when the parents are not alive or cannot take care of the children and the guardians refuse to care for these, the institutionalization of children remains the only way to which the authorities can resort.

In a news conference at IPN, head of the Child Rights Protection Service of the Office of the People’s Ombudsperson Tatiana Crestenco said it is within the competence of the local authorities to annul the decision to institute guardianship or tutelage over children, but these do not provide the children outside guardianship with the necessary services and they thus remain without support.

Tatiana Crestenco gave the example of a minor, who remained without a guardian and was placed at the Chisinau Psychiatry Hospital for the reason that there were no other placement services available. The minor stayed in the hospital for four months, until representatives of the Office of the People’s Ombudsperson intervened, when informed by doctors. Now the boy lives with a family that is ready to raise him, but he needs psychological and social assistance. Two criminal cases were started in this case – over abuse of power and ill-treatment.

Also, a girl who remained outside guardianship went to live with her sister with whom she didn’t have a relationship earlier. Shortly afterward, the sister went abroad, while the minor girl went missing. Nothing has been known about her since the beginning of May. The local authorities instituted no form of protection over her.

In connection with the June 14 local elections, Tatiana Crestenco called on the future mayors to ensure the protection of children’s rights and to monitor the families in situations of risks, besides implementing projects to repair roads and other initiatives.

A problem highlighted by the Office of the People’s Ombudsperson is also the fact that the minors who are under arrest cannot continue their studies when they finish the ninth grade owing to the shortcomings existing in the Law on the Penitentiary System. The law provides that education is mandatory up to the age of 18. Following relevant recommendations, the Department of Penitentiary Institutions proposed amendments to this law.

Tatiana Crestenco noted that improvements are also witnessed in ensuring the observance of children’s rights. The Ministry of Education worked out specific instructions regarding the creation of conditions for taking exams for graduates with special educational needs. Another improvement is related to the conditions of questioning child witnesses or victims and to the possibility of reporting cases of abuse against children in education institutions.