The Romanian Foundation for Children, Community and Family set off the programme of national interest Reintegrating and Supporting Repatriated and Trafficking Victim Children from the Counties of Maramures, Satu Mare, Bistrita Nasaud and Salaj .

On August the 25 th the first project working meeting took place in Sighetu Marmatiei. The participants to the meeting were representatives of FRCCF, of the Maramures and Satu Mare Border Police Departments, of the Maramures and Satu Mare County Social Work and Child Protection Departments and of local authorities (Town Hall of Sighet).

The project aims at reintegrating and supporting r epatriated and trafficking victim children, by setting up organised services in the counties of Bistrita Nasaud, Maramures, Salaj and Satu Mare.

The project comes as a solution to the worrying situation regarding Romanian minors migrating abroad. A 2002 French research shows that 80% of 145 children found by the police in France are from Satu Mare and Maramures. The Maramures County School Department data also show that in 2003-2004 school year, 86 children from Maramures abandoned school to go abroad.

Some of the project goals are:

•  Develop the specialised social services from the counties of Bistrita Nasaud, Salaj and Satu Mare, targeting children at risk of migrating or of being trafficked or that are to be repatriated.

•  Facilitate child protection authorities' involvement in reintegrating and supporting repatriated children and in child trafficking and migration prevention.

•  Set partnerships with national and international institutions and NGO's fighting child trafficking and migration by the end of 2005.

•  Raise awareness of child migration risks and of means of fighting child trafficking in the counties of Bistrita Nasaud, Maramures, Salaj and Satu Mare.