Rights‐Based Practice in Romanian Child Protection and Public Education Two Decades on: Six Points of Consensus Among Diverse Experts

ABSTRACT Close to two decades after Romania's landmark legislation on the rights of the child and adoption, this paper explores six points of consensus concerning rights‐based practice in child protection and public education. Drawing on conceptual work on ‘assemblages’ in social services reform and an analytical focus on inconsistencies, incoherences and tensions in professional practice, we explore 30 key informants' narrative focus on ‘sites of strain’ in what they wished to be nation‐wide rights‐based social service provision, through a grounded theory‐inspired analytical approach. Alongside three widely shared inadequacies in rights‐based practice—good legislation, but inadequate implementation, wide variation in service quality, and the lack of an ethic of care in work with children—, we also highlight three positive developments flagged: growing awareness of children's rights among children; legislative amendments based on children's input and civic mobilisation; and the crucial role of NGOs' ‘fantastic’ service provision. The paper concludes with policy recommendations for better managerial oversight, accountability and professional support from central government agencies.