Hope and Homes for Children and MaxBet are building the first Respiro Center for children with disabilities

Deniza Cristian 18/03/2022 | 16:31

Hope and Homes for Children will build in Iasi, with the support of MaxBet, the first Respiro center in the county for children with mild, moderate and severe disabilities. With an investment of 550,000 euros, the center will have a capacity of 12 places and will offer integrated services and fixed-term recovery for children and young people aged 0 to 18, as well as counseling and guidance for their families.

 

The center will become operational in 2025, and in 10 years, over 3,000 children from Iasi and neighboring counties and their parents will benefit from services aimed at preventing the institutionalization of children.

The Respiro Center will be built in partnership with the Iași County Council and the social services) (DGASPC Iași), which will provide the land on which the center will be built, but also the staff – specialists (physiotherapists, nurses, psychologists, psyhopedagogue, social workers) as well as other support staff, education and supervision (nurses, educators, cooks), whilst MaxBet will provide full funding for the construction and equipment of the center. Once completed and equipped with specialized furniture and equipment, the center will be donated by the Foundation and will enter the patrimony of local partners. Currently, over 3,300 children and young people with disabilities live in Iași County, of which almost 500 are in foster care (relatives, foster carers or residential placement) and 2,800 in their biological families.

With the completion of the Respiro Center built with MaxBet’s support, children and young people with special needs will benefit from accommodation, meals, supervision and care by specialized staff, physical therapy, psychological counseling, occupational therapy, social work, speech therapy, socialization, education, empowerment / rehabilitation, recreation and emotional support. At the same time, the center will provide counseling, guidance and support for both parents and carers.

“The worst feeling is to feel that you have no chance, no way forward, no hope that tomorrow may be better because you have nowhere to ask for help. The passion with which Hope and Homes for Children presented us the story of these children with disabilities and so many needs convinced us to help make a change. Pragmatically, this center brings a glimmer of hope in the lives of so many people who are exhausted by the difficulties of raising a child with special needs, the financial burden, the fact that society does not have time for them and their needs. It’s a breath of fresh air for mothers who are struggling to find a job and at the same time provide the affection and care a child needs, without considering the physical or mental problems caused by disabilities. The investment made by MaxBet is not a drop in the ocean, it is a first step, it is an example that I hope will be followed by other companies. Brick by brick, donation by donation, these people will receive real support so that their family is not torn apart, so that they do not give up their children. This donation is also made on behalf of MaxBet employees, people who have their own families and know firsthand how complicated it is to be able to dedicate enough time to personal life, but at the same time to pursue the development of a career. The 550,000 euros invested in this center are in fact an investment on behalf of the society in which we live, for the society which has not yet had time to hear the stories of their peers,” said Ioana Bazavan, General Manager of MaxBet Romania.

The Respiro Center will offer accommodation for a maximum period of 20 days for children with all types and degrees of disability, so that parents / relatives may benefit from support that avoids periods of exhaustion that can lead to the decision to institutionalize children in the long term. At the same time, parents will receive guidance, counseling and support to improve caregiving.

“For over 20 years, we have been, one of the largest investors in the development of the infrastructure necessary for the protection of children in Romania. We have built and have 116 functional family houses, two transit centers, maternal centers and are working on the development of a community center. This latest investment – the Respiro Center – responds to an equally acute need. One of the reasons why children with special needs get into the system is because their parents or relatives do not have a moment to take a break, solve other problems or simply get some rest. At the Respiro Center, children will be able to continue their therapies and receive the care they need in the short periods when their parents cannot be physically present. Without being able to take a short break from the ongoing effort involved in caring for a child with a disability, the burden becomes so overwhelming that parents sometimes have to institutionalize their children. A Respiro type center is exactly the support they need so much, to be able to continue and to keep their children at home. In this way, we offer a new type of support, with medium and long term impact, through which we are confident that we will save children and parents from the trauma and pain of separation”, says Robert Ion, Director of Fundraising and Communication, Hope and Homes for Children Romania

The Respiro Center in Iasi is the first center of its kind built by Hope and Homes for Children, as part of interventions to support vulnerable children – by closing old-fashioned centers and building family homes, as well as the Child Separation Prevention program, so that as children are taken out of orphanages, others do not take their place.

The latest Hope and Homes for Children campaign is sounding the alarm about the large number of children, 3,810, living in 141 foster homes in Romania. Say #I’mHere (#SuntAici) and see the campaign’s manifesto message here .

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