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About
As of May 2023, the war in Ukraine which escalated on 24 February 2022 has displaced more than 8.2 million people out of Ukraine across Europe. Many of them settled in neighbouring countries, including Romania. Most of the refugees*, about 85% as of early May 2023, are women and children. Humanitarian and government actors require more robust information on the protection needs and risks that families with children displaced from Ukraine face in Romania. There is a lack of evidence, particularly from children themselves. IMPACT Initiatives, in partnership with Save the Children International (SCI), conducted a mixed-method child protection needs assessment in Romania between November 2022 and April 2023. This included child consultations, focus group discussions (FGDs) with caregivers and host community members, key informant interviews (KIIs) with service providers in relevant sectors, as well as a two-round phone survey with caregivers. The research tools were developed together with SCI. The project is funded by Global Affairs Canada, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and SCI.
Key Findings
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The most reported well-being and safety risks for Ukrainian refugee children in Romania were the language barrier when interacting with the host community, as well as psychosocial issues.
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Children highlighted family and friends as their most trusted protective factors.
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Romanian institutions, especially the police and social services, were other protective factors frequently mentioned by both children and caregivers.
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Respondents stressed the need for better access to health services for refugee children, especially by improving access to general practitioners and by reducing the cost and language barriers.
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Other priority needs reported by children and service providers were improved access to in-person education and extracurricular activities.