Early Development of Roma Children: Risk and Protective Factors is a pioneering work in the analysis of the social ecology of Roma children in their early years, starting from the closest contexts (family, community, peers, kindergarten) to the broader social and political spheres.
The book features chapters that analyze both the factors and the stakeholders directly related to the early development of Roma children, namely: the history of the Roma – as a starting point for today’s inequities, contemporary public policies and, implicitly, institutions, specifically the agents of change or architects of choices; socioeconomic factors, the socioeconomic inequalities faced by Roma families compared to the majority population; the major contexts in which children develop, namely shared values in Romanian society, relationships and interactions with the preschool environment, and immediate interactions such as those with family, children, teachers, educators, and neighbors.
The first part includes the theoretical framework on which the work is built and presents the main concepts the book operates with: social ecology, social contexts, human rights, collective rights, and social, cultural, and human capital. The second part presents the consequences of oppressive policies, historical inequalities, and the transition to democracy on the Roma population, factors that have led to limited educational opportunities for Roma children.
The third part analyzes the contexts and social interactions in which Roma children develop, starting from Bronfenbrenner's ecological model but focusing on the elements and contexts that are considered relevant and specific to the Roma situation. The fourth part presents the risk factors existing at the societal level that contribute to the reduction of opportunities for Roma children. The fifth chapter analyzes the public policies that have been adopted and implemented by Romania for the members of Roma communities. The final part presents the conclusions and reflections of the work, and also proposes a theory of change.
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​Praise for Early Development of Roma Children
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"Among the few publications in Romania that include the education of Roma children on the list of important topics, Magda Matache’s book provides a strong argument for rethinking the approach to public policies in Romania regarding the Roma population and Roma children. The arguments put forward by the author are built on realities from the field, on both diachronic and synchronic critical reflection on the social, economic, cultural, and political situation of the Roma population in Romania, intertwining the voice of the activist with that of the researcher and practitioner. Magda Matache’s book is not a report, as many have been written; it is a statement that aims to eliminate the reductionist and simplistic way of thinking about the issues facing all Roma children in Romania."
- Dr. Mihaela Ionescu, Program Director, International Step by Step Association
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"Sensitivity, honesty, and constant effort are the guiding threads from which Margareta Matache’s book is woven—a Roma intellectual who never for a moment forgets where she started and how many barriers she herself overcame to become not only a fervent advocate for the right of Roma children to education but also a courageous author who proposes a theory of change. This new theoretical and practical model of “post-oppressive-assimilationist integration of Roma” is visionary and idealistic. Through this case study on Romania, a paradigm shift is proposed for a society saturated with “indifference and disregard” for the problems of “others,” and for the application of democratic values: non-discrimination, cultural diversity, and equal opportunities. In this way, Margareta Matache draws on the hard experience of working in the poorest villages, schools, and kindergartens in Romania, the traumatic experience of segregation and downgrading, transforming it all into an eloquent plea for change and for the realization of the right of children to quality education. Her model should be followed by other Roma intellectuals: “per aspera ad astra” (through hardships to the stars).
- Prof. Letiția Mark, Professor and Roma activist