A strong message that must be heeded

One particular issue that should be seriously considered as we celebrate World Children’s Day on Sunday is the recent finding that more than half those interviewed by the Centre for Family Studies on the relationship between adolescents and their parents said they wanted more time with their mothers and fathers and also expect them to be “calm”.

The project was inspired by the 2008 Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey. This study had found that Maltese adolescents have a low degree of trust in their parents when compared to 40 other countries.

In the words of Angela Abela, the centre’s director on the research team, the study “shows adolescents need their parents and are asking for them while the parents too want to connect with their children, even though they may not always succeed and need support”.

Such a reality is of major concern also because, as things stand, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for parents to truly find the right balance between work and family and so have enough time for each other and for their children and to attain and practise the skills required by their parental responsibilities.

It is a situation that calls for an intelligent, properly planned, forward-looking and coordinated response, preferably within the framework of the national children’s policy that has just been launched in draft form. It aims to formulate a concrete strategy that takes a multi-disciplinary perspective, establish the changes needed to translate the policy into action and make sure that the dynamic and multiple needs of young people are given the required attention.

One of the most significant indicators that have emerged, across the board, from the research carried out by the Centre for Family Studies is that parents want, among other things, family therapy.

The Times has already commented editorially in favour of having a sufficient number of well-trained family therapists to help family members find constructive ways to help each other and, in case of trouble, to possibly overcome serious difficulties in good enough time to avoid ending up initiating legal procedures against each other.

This newspaper continues to believe that such therapists can work in ways that acknowledge the contexts of families and other relationships, sharing and respecting individuals’ different perspectives, beliefs, views and stories and exploring possible ways forward. They support change with individuals and in their relationships in the family and beyond.

In this context, and in the light of the fact that one of the major conclusions of the study was the pivotal importance of schools in supporting families and parent education, one cannot agree more with what President George Abela had to say. He noted that family therapy had to be developed further and supported, that more trained family therapists were needed, that their service should spread to schools to reach more adolescents and that there should be an information campaign on existing family therapy services to encourage their use.

The draft national children’s policy states that critical success factors emanating from such a policy entail understanding better children’s needs and interests, giving them a voice as active participants in society and guaranteeing that they have quality services and support structures. This is wise.

The proof of the pudding is, of course, in the eating. The children’s strong message regarding their relationship with their parents presents a formidable and challenging task. Yet, such challenge is not insurmountable provided there is goodwill and all stakeholders give their share.