Rum Children’s Home to be Renovated by National Headquarters of Hungarian Prison Service, Initiated by Commissioner for Fundamental Rights

On 12 November 2021, Ombudsman Dr. Ákos Kozma and National Commander of the Hungarian Prison Service, Counsellor, Major General Dr. Tamás Tóth paid a visit to the Rum Special Children’s Home of the Vas County Child Welfare Centre and Elementary School. At the initiative of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, the National Headquarters of the Hungarian Prison Service (BVOP) will be involved in the renovation of the building of the institution.

The expert staff members of the Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights paid an unannounced visit to the Children’s Home on 16 June 2021 and conducted an on-site inquiry, where they identified some deficiencies. In Ombudsman’s report No. AJB-125/2021, it was disclosed that the institution does not have, among others, a community room, a room suitable for doing sports and receiving visitors, neither does it have a group room for therapeutic activities and remedial classes, furthermore, the courtyard of the Children’s Home is not surrounded by a fence.

The National Headquarters of the Hungarian Prison undertook to remedy the problems related to the building identified in the Ombudsman’s report, i.e. to renovate the building. As part of this effort, BVOP will refurbish, among others, a group room for therapeutic activities, it will fence the courtyard, and it will establish premises suitable for doing sports and receiving visitors.