Agency head calls for Children's Act

The introduction of a Children's Act was vital since the legal framework to support children's needs was still weak, according to the chief executive officer of Appogg, Joe Gerada.

Social workers were encountering enormous difficulties due to legal limitations and Mr Gerada yesterday expressed concern that this has not been addressed so far.

Malta also needed a comprehensive national plan for children to ensure that those at risk were catered for through a continuum of children services which were governed by clear protocols and accountability.

Mr Gerada expressed his belief that with some restructuring, funds could be shifted from areas of less priority and applied more effectively to provide these children with a better quality of life.

He also emphasised the need for more people to care for foster children who were unable to live with their parents.

Appogg, he said, provided an excellent service to foster carers. However, due to a shortage of social workers, the agency was unable to take on more foster carers.

He was speaking at a half-day seminar on "The emerging challenges of looking after children in residential care", held at the Coastline Hotel and opened by Social Policy Minister Lawrence Gonzi.

The seminar has become an annual appointment and aims to explore the challenges to offer children a comprehensive and caring service.

Each year, the seminar brings together agencies and professionals looking after children in residential care to discuss emerging needs and future developments.

The seminar was also addressed by Ewan Anderson, an emeritus professor at the University of Durham, who retired early to focus on residential child care. He has written 14 books and over 250 papers.

In his address, Dr Gonzi recognised that child protection was everybody's problem and it was important to create the necessary structures and community support to avoid the need for children to go into care.

"Most families need the support of social workers and trained volunteers who have the time to spend with families and children in need. I urge corporate and private sponsors to include these initiatives when deciding what to sponsor," he said.

Dr Gonzi praised the work done by the religious orders but called for an integration of services between the state agency and children's homes.

"I know a very good working relationship exists but the complexity of the cases require constant evaluation and a lot of creativity and flexibility in taking decisions and handling situations," he said.

The government was evaluating a proposal submitted by Appogg to set up a service for children with severe behavioural problems as well as an outreach service to families who experience similar problems.

Dr Gonzi said he was also pleased to learn that the office of children's homes and Appogg were working on a policy to regulate social contacts.

"I strongly commend this initiative and urge every stakeholder to move forward because it is crucial for us to be able to offer a viable alternative to children who are innocent victims of events that are often dramatic and traumatic."

The recent bill bringing into force the office of the Children's Commissioner was confirmation of the government's commitment to bring children's issues to the fore.

The setting up of the Family Court will also accentuate the rights of the child in the deliberations before the courts in separation cases.