TRAINING NEEDS OF STAFF IN ROMANIAN INSTITUTIONS FOR YOUNG-CHILDREN

In order to make adequate provision for staffing and staff training in leagane (long-term residential care institutions for pre-school age c hildren in Romania) a postal survey was conducted in the autumn of 199 1 to ascertain the demographic characteristics, job titles and educati onal attainment of directors and staff, staffing needs and the kinds o f positions currently filled, the numbers of directors and staff expos ed to continuing education programmes within the last 2 years, and the opinions of directors and staff regarding their most important contin uing educational needs. The bulk of the direct care workforce was less than 50 years old. Thirty-four per cent of the direct care staff had less than a high-school education. Sixty-seven per cent of the staff w ere health professionals or health care workers. There were few psycho logists, physical therapists, teachers or social workers. In the last 2 years, directors and other physicians had been mostly exposed to cou rses in the areas of psycho-social care/management and paediatric medi cal care. Nurses had attended professional development courses. Infirm iera (nursing assistants) had also attended professional development c ourses such as those offered by foreign non-governmental organizations on the care of institutionalized children. Educators (teaching assist ants) had attended courses in child development and rehabilitation. Di rectors and staff expressed clear opinions regarding their needs and p references for additional training.