Glossary

Social deprivation often exists in institutional environments where there are high child to caregiver ratios. In such settings, children are provided with minimal care and opportunities for tactile and social stimulation with adults or other children. This practice was common in orphanages in Romania (where the ratio of children to caregivers is said to have averaged 22:1), particularly during the regime of Nicolae Ceauşescu (see glossary entry for more information). Recently, Romania has made efforts to move toward foster care in an effort to gain entry into the European Union.