Mass media can play a big role in raising public awareness and promoting special services to prevent the early abandonment of children, thinks Liliana Rotaru, head of the organization “Child, Community, Family (CCF) Moldova”. “When reporting about children found on streets, at the dumps or in block entrances, journalists must find a way to show what fate awaits these children. They should also promote existing services that can help women in need that intend to abandon their children”, said Liliana Rotaru at the meeting of the network “Journalists, Friends of Children”. Participants at the meeting discussed about ways to prevent the placement of children under 3 years of age in orphanages. The director of CCF Moldova said that according to a study in Romania, the development of institutionalized children is delayed with 2.6 months for every month outside their families. “The child needs constant things and people to see daily. The staff of orphanages, as good as it can be, simply cannot offer the necessary affection to children”, said Liliana Rotaru. The expert stated that there were many people in Moldova willing to take care of a child. “There are couples whose children have already grown, but they are still able to raise other kids. These families should be informed. People should know where they go to find a child to take care of. Besides, we must help people realize that poverty is not an excuse for abandoning newborns”, stressed the director of CCF Moldova. According to CCF Moldova, the number of abandoned children hasn't dropped over the last two years, but thanks to undertaken actions about 200 mother-child pairs have been integrated in the biologic or extended family and thus the abandoning of newborns was prevented. State authorities work to prevent abandonment and implemented efficient policies in this regard. However, more time and money are needed to apply what is written on paper, says the CCF Moldova director. According to data of the Ministry of Health, 119 children have been abandoned in 2011, 48 of which in maternity hospitals.