Hungary began its initial implementation in 1997. Simultaneously, we passed new federal child protection legislation mandating PRIDE (known as FIKSZ or “make it happen”) as the only program for the selection and training of all foster carers. An impact evaluation study was completed early in 2000 and, according to the then Head of the Hungarian Department of Family, Child, and Youth Policy we could never have achieved our goals without the support of the PRIDE/Matraproject.
By the end of 1999, there were 102 FIKSZ trainers working all around the country and the number of professional foster families trained by them has been growing rapidly. We had 169 foster parents trained in our first year, and over 590 in the second year. As a result, Hungary has become the only country in the Central and Eastern European region where the number of children in residential settings has actually started to significantly decrease. Children’s and infant’s homes are being closed down, and over 50% of all children previously placed in congregate care are placed with foster families.
A strategy to ensure that ongoing implementation went beyond the initial contract with out-country trainers was to develop a National Office and “Master Trainers.” They were responsible for training others within their countries, developing a peer support network and additional materials, and connecting with trainers from other countries.
In 2011, there were 5,600 foster carers working with over 10,000 children, all of the carers trained with the PRIDE/FIKSZ program in Hungary. Besides the foster carers, many agencies are also using PRIDE/FIKSZ in their preparatory training, now compulsory in Hungary for prospective adoptive parents. During the deinstitutionalization program in Hungary, following the introduction of the new Children Act in 1997, large children’s homes have been closing down. Many staff members of the newly established group homes for children took part in the same PRIDE/FIKSZ program.
The situation in Hungary is disastrous, with four million out of ten million people living under the poverty level; the anti-Roma sentiment continues to grow, along with anti-semitism.
Dr. Maria Herczog, Director, National Institute for Families and Children, Budapest, Hungary, herczogmaria@me.com