Continued from here.

I'm not saying Jo Rowling is intentionally bankrolling clapping with one hand and sacrificing children on the alter of 'Gee, the numbers look good', but the CHLG does make me very nervous, and she is a founder ... along with Emma Nicholson, and given her history she really breaks me out in hives of anxiety and has me worrying about the kids who just might end up in her path.

From their website:

... CHLG works closely with governments and officials on wider policy issues such as de-institutionalisation and child welfare. It also works proactively to promote the positive changes in child welfare that are now taking place.

In Romania we are already seeing improvements. Around 22,000 Romanian children have been returned to family-based care in the past four years, with over half of this number returning to their parents or relatives.

A change in the law in Romania means it is now not possible to institutionalise children under two years old.

As we have seen before, we can't take Emma Nicholson's word for how well this is going, or how those 22,000 Romanian children are doing with their "family-based care". With even UNICEF estimating 9,000 abandoned children each year in the country, how are these kids being absorbed, and where the heck are children under two going?

Does anyone really believe the foster care system in Romania is a cakewalk for kids?

So, what does CHLG accomplish that helps? Well, they have the "Children's Voice Campaign", an education program addressing social prejudices against kids in care, and the Edelweiss competition which is a national talent contest for children in 'placement centers' (see how much better than sounds than 'orphanage'?) in Romania.

Oh. Oh. And there's "Community Action". This one is a Romanian high school program to address social prejudices. That rings a bell. The description:

The programme has been enormously successful with children taking part in every county in Romania. 38,000 school children now work face-to-face with 42,000 children with special needs. This is the largest group of young people working this way in Europe.

Well, I bet that's a big help for kids who don't have enough to eat and are being sexually abused on a daily basis ... and what the heck is this doing for the 38,000 school children who are now apparently in charge of fixing the situation for the 42,000 others?

For those kids, I suppose, the Green Line, a phone service for children in need, does the trick?

You see, de-institutionalization is the foundation of the Baroness ... well, that and putting an end to international adoption ... and apparently the CHLG agrees.

According to their site, de-institutionalization is important because it:

Prevents both unnecessary admissions to and stays in institutions

Finds and develops appropriate alternatives in the community for the housing, treatment, training, education and rehabilitation of the children who do not need residential care

Improves the conditions, care and treatment for those who do require public care

If we can take a minute to look at the list of what CHLG "hopes to achieve", we'll have a clearer image of just how pie-in-the-sky useless their approach is ...

Relief from poverty, sickness and cruelty and an end to the maltreatment of children

The prevention of physical, sexual and psychological violence towards children

An end to the exploitation of children from individuals, families and communities
Investigations into the causes of child poverty, child maltreatment, child morbidity and mortality worldwide

The promotion of care and welfare of children through encouraging the development of child protection services, health and social services and education provision for all

An evaluation of the protection of child rights at country and regional levels

The devising and implementing of a process for de-institutionalization

There is no question that Romanian orphanages where horrid places in which children suffered horribly, but did putting an end to international adoptions and closing ... or renaming ... orphanages offer any solutions?

Are we to believe that Jo Rowling has access to a wand like Harry's and will be waving it someday soon? It sounds like that may be the CHLG's plan.

Perhaps the organization really is helping someone somewhere with something, but forgive me my skepticism. I see nothing here that goes anywhere toward convincing me that this isn't just another smoke-and-mirrors attempt to show happy-ever-after where the reality is ever-increasing numbers of children living on the streets, in abusive homes, or otherwise-titled orphanages, while the powers-that-be divert attention away from them by pointing to the illusion so conveniently provided.

For more, check out this story on "What happened to Romania's orphans", this on Romanian street kids, this on how supposedly good intentions backfire on babies, and this on the abuse orphans face.

I'll warn you, though, you might not sleep well afterwards.