An Evaluation of the Latest Developments in Professionalization Policies of Romanian Social Assistance Public Sector

The article aims to evaluate the professionalisation of the Romanian social assistance sector and the impact of recent legislative provisions and strategic plans related to the development of public social assistance services. Recent reports indicate an alarming low level of professionalisation in social services, despite of some significant gains achieved since 1990. Although the social work has accumulated significant resources since its relaunch after the fall of communist period, still the public system remains very low professionalised. The article explores the main causes of the low level of professionalisation of the local social assistance services and tries to evaluate how these issues are perpetuated. The article ends with some conclusive remarks on the main characteristics of the social work profession in Romania and about how it can be improved.