Romania increases parental leave for adoptions to two years
Romanian president Klaus Iohannis recently promulgated a law increasing the duration of parental leave for parents who have adopted a child from one year, which is currently the case, to two years.
The project provides that the adopter or, optionally, either of the spouses of the adopting family who earn income subject to income tax, either from salary and related activities or from independent activities, copyright, or agricultural activities, may benefit from a so-called accommodation leave with a maximum duration of two years, as well as a monthly allowance.
The project's initiator, Liberal (PNL) deputy Alin Ignat, said after the parliamentary vote that the initiative is as simple as it is essential for people who decide to adopt a child in Romania, but especially for children who are given the chance of a life in a family through adoption.
"Today, these people benefit, upon request, from a paid leave with a maximum duration of one year. Unfortunately, reality shows us that many of the adopted children who have ended up in the social protection system following abandonment or the death of their parents have severe traumas to overcome, and the process of adapting to the new family is complex and full of challenges, a process that often involves psycho-emotional, medical, and behavioral recovery through integration into various specialized programs. We started from such cases when we devised and initiated the project that helps adoptive parents by granting the possibility of an accommodation leave of up to two years," Ignat said, cited by News.ro.
The Liberal deputy also stated that this project addresses the problem not only financially, but also addresses time, a resource that is often more precious. "In this case, it is about the time spent together by families where adoption truly creates parents and children, time translated into trust in each other, in oneself, and in the future, time translated into secure attachment, needs that receive responses, and steps towards emotional balance," he said.
There were roughly 46,000 children in foster care in Romania last year. On the bright side, there was a record number of 1,600 adoptions in 2021, according to Digi24.
(Photo source: Zulkarneevdenis | Dreamstime.com)
