4996 Rodica Enache / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 46 ( 2012 ) 4995 – 4999
Problem Statement
In a research done by the Quality of Life Research Institute, called "Quality of life in Romania, 2010", it
was found that 29% of Romanian people consider accessibility to education as low and very low, which means that,
overall, the system of education in Romania does not provide equal access to education for all categories of
population. Depending on the area of origin, overall, the rural population has an unfavorable perception (35%
consider the availability of education as "low" and "very low") in relation to urban areas (only 25% of them being of
the same opinion). Inclusive education is "a process to improve the school, aimed at exploiting existing resources,
especially human resources to support participation in education of all students in the community." (according to
OECD, 2007).
ensure equal access to education and a quality education for all children and young people, a special interest being
paid to other disadvantaged groups (children infected with HIV, belonging to disadvantaged minority groups,
including Gypsy children, children from families with major social problems, etc.) . Access to education for children
from disadvantaged communities is a problem such as education and socio-economic development of a child's
education is strongly influenced by family environment and socio-economic circumstances.
Among the factors affecting abandonment and non-schooling children, which limits access to education for children
from disadvantaged communities, are:
parents, attitudes of reserved mistrust towards school, etc.);
.
-74)
The intervention came from the need to address phenomena such as marginalization, social exclusion and
stigmatization resulting from social change. Social intervention can be expressed in terms of power, influence and
authority. Intervention presupposes the existence of two elements: one which carries out the activity and another one
to which the intervention is carried out. "Cojocaru (2005, p. 79). Any activity involving the handling intervention of
external factors will change the existing risk situation, to solve the problem. These factors may act at different levels
depending on the conditions of manifestation of the situation as follows: at an individual level, group level, structure
level, and last but not least at the norms and values level.
The objectives of intervention in terms of social assistance are:
l;
4997 Rodica Enache / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 46 ( 2012 ) 4995 – 4999
If children come from disadvantaged communities they require both the intervention of the state, but also from
others: family, school (by teachers), social services, church, business companies. They can help ensure access to
education for children from such communities and thus avoid transmission of poverty and deprivations arising. To be
involved in solving a problem the following principles must be taken into account (M. Manciaux, coord., 2002, pp.
610-611):
ot to make parents feel helpless and give them the impression that he/she cannot help solve the problem;
nvestigating the past of each member;
nts and children;
Purpose of Study
In experimental studies we have focused on the following objectives:
1. to identify the needs and risk situations which children from disadvantaged communities are facing;
2. to perform a comparison between the situation of children from disadvantaged communities, school age and
preschool;
3. to identify the perceptions of parents of children from disadvantaged communities on activities within the school /
kindergarten
Methods
Research tools used were:
1. Questionnaire on collaboration between parents and teachers to integrate school children from disadvantaged
communities (applied to teachers and parents)
2. Focus groups held with parents of children from disadvantaged communities and teachers
3. Applying a socio-educational intervention projects for preschool children coming from poor communities for 6
months The research sample consists of 90 people, female and male, aged between 3 and 45. The investigated group
consists of preschool and small school age children, their parents and teachers. Subjects were three distinct sub-
samples: a first sub-sample consisted of 10 teachers from primary and pre-school, the second consisted of 40 children
of school age and preschool, and the third sub-sample of 40 parents.
Conclusions and Recommendations
From the analysis of responses obtained from questionnaires we identified factors affecting abandonment and
non-schooling children, that limits access to education for children from disadvantaged communities:
of parents, attitudes of reserved mistrust towards school, etc.);
the education system (low involvement of teachers, limited financial and human resources, etc.);
4998 Rodica Enache / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 46 ( 2012 ) 4995 – 4999
Parents of poor children who attend school can be characterized as follows: they:
which they themselves have);
performance;
that this result
is natural in the given situation);
obtained from an early age.
A particular community is the Romani community. It takes a wide educational intervention for Romani
communities because schooling has become a crucial factor for integration. Illiteracy is not a protective plan,
effective for independent groups of Gypsies. Changes in the socio-economic needs - whether they want to maintain
lifestyle and identity - to adapt quickly and actively, with tools they can get through school. Socio-economic
intervention requires additional investment in education aimed at "school renewal", "equipping laboratories, libraries
and offices," "ensure daily meals at school canteens," "subsidized supplies and textbooks"; " insurance in rural areas,
children and teachers to transport over long distances to and from school. " The specific intervention measures are
required:
children and to increase learning ability of children with fewer opportunities";
-)social services focused on the needs of the community and families living in those areas, provided by
professionals to ensure collaboration between local authorities and school-family";
-economic requirements and the realities of society, with greater emphasis on
skills and practical skills";
organized in order to increase the awareness of social activism and the role
and importance of school in a child's life."
Access to education for children from disadvantaged communities is a problem such as education and socio-
economic development of a child's education is strongly influenced by family environment.
References 1. Buzducea, D., 2005, "Contemporary issues in social work," Polirom, Iasi; Romania 2. Cojocaru, S., 2006, "Social intervention project", Polirom, Iasi; Romania 3. Nedelcu R, 2007, Democratic Education, Inclusion and Interculturalism, Didactic and Pedagogic Publishing House, Bucharest, Romania 4. *** OECD, 2007, "Synthesis Report and Chapter 8 Romania" in "Education Policies for Students at Risk and Thos with Disabilities in South
4999 Rodica Enache / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 46 ( 2012 ) 4995 – 4999
Eastern Europe: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, FYR of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia ", online edition, http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/18/6/38614298.pdf
