On this page

1. Housing

2. Social services

3. Health care

4. Financial services

5. Quality assurance

Housing

A special housing programme for young people (18-35 years old), allowing young people and families to rent or buy apartments at low prices is implemented by the Romanian Government, through the National House Agency, under the Ministry of Regional Development, Public Works and Administration. The houses are built by the National House Agency, but the municipalities, which can decide to rent or to sell the apartments, ensure their administration. In both cases the prices are fixed by the state. Even if one has to be young in order to sign a renting or buying contract, beneficiaries may benefit from the low rent and keep the apartment without a difference in payment after the age of 35.

In 2022, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan funded by the European Union included available funding for municipalities for the construction of houses for young people and health and education professionals. 119 projects were been submitted. Approved projects are under implementation in March 2026. 

The municipalities also provide social houses in addition to the programme on housing for young people, but the programmes are not targeting young people, and there is no available data on the proportion of young people benefiting from social housing.

Social services

Social services are provided according to the Law No. 292/2011 of social assistance. There are three types of services regulated:

1. Personal care services

2. Recovery services

3. (Re)integration social services

Social services target many groups, including young people under the following categories:

• children and their families (including young people under 18 and young families);

• persons with disabilities;

• victims of family violence;

• homeless people;

• people with addictions (alcohol, drugs and other toxic substances, internet, gaming, etc.);

• victims of human trafficking;

• detainees;

• persons under probation;

• people with mental disorders;

• people in isolated communities;

• long term unemployed.

With the exception of the elderly, all target groups may include young people. However, none of the services designed by the Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity specifically targets young people or is designed exclusively for them.Services include:

• accommodation in residential centres;

• protected houses for persons with disabilities (small-scale residential social services designed to support the deinstitutionalisation process by providing persons with disabilities or other vulnerable groups with a family-like living environment and assistance for independent living);

• integration centres through occupational therapies for persons with disabilities;

• special accommodation for victims of violence or trafficking;

• aid services provided at the beneficiary home;

• social canteens.

Only certified providers can offer social services. Certification is issued based on quality standards drafted by the Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity and the verification of social inspection to:

1. Public institutions, organised by the local public authorities

2. NGOs

Social inspection is the process carried out by public authorities, mainly through the National Agency for Payments and Social Inspection, to monitor, evaluate, and ensure that social services and benefits comply with legal standards and quality requirements.

Social services aiming at young people with a focus on the young people leaving the special protection system offer support measures (housing or accommodation, daily allowance), to these young people at request and for a limited period of time, in accordance with the Law No. 292/2011 of social assistance.

Social services are provided only upon request, and not all certified services are available in every community, including in large cities. A map of certified social services providers was released by the Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity in December 2016 and is continuously updated. In addition, a map of necessary social services is available, informing policymakers and potential providers about existing gaps and needs.

Health care

Young people until 26, if they are attending any school or educational institution, benefit from state health insurance.

Services for people with substance addictions and campaigns to prevent addictions are including young people among their target groups, but they are not primarily and specially designated for young people. Services are provided in certified centres managed by public authorities or NGOs. In practice the campaigns against addictions are the most visible public campaigns funded by the government.

Recovery services for persons with disabilities, including young people are also available in the certified centres managed by public authorities or NGOs.

Health mediators are regulated in Romania. They are trained community workers, often from vulnerable groups such as the Roma community, who facilitate access to healthcare services, improve communication between patients and medical staff, and support public health interventions at the local level. However, there is no visible national campaign to develop a national health mediators network.

Financial services

There are no information on financial services designed for vulnerable young people.

Quality assurance

For the youth housing programme, quality is ensured by the local authorities, based on autonomous systems. Local authorities have an inspection service and there is no centralised information at national level on the amount of work done by this service in order to ensure quality of housing provided for vulnerable young people.

Quality assurance for the social and health services is provided via the certification based on quality standards and the inspection of the social inspection. The social inspection works within the National Agency for Payment and Social Inspection (NAPSI) conducting verifications based on an annual plan and unannounced controls.