Care orders, which remove children from the care of their parents, are only issued by the State following investigations and in the best interest of the child, Appoġġ said yesterday.

Appoġġ, the Government’s support agency, insisted that parents who felt their child had been removed from their care unfairly had the right to appeal the decision before the Juvenile Court.

The agency issued a statement in reaction to a judicial protest filed by a woman on Monday.

In the protest – filed against Family Minister Chris Said and Appoġġ – she claimed her nine-year-old son made several attempts to commit suicide after being placed under a care order a year ago.

The mother claimed her son was taken away from her because she was too scared of his father to pick him up from school. She was never given help and her son was removed. She had now managed to overcome her problems and entered into a stable relationship. However, the agency refused to lift the care order.

Without commenting on the case, Appoġġ yesterday said that when a care order was issued, parents had 21 days to appeal. They were also invited to attend the Child Protection Case Conference in which both children and parents were given the opportunity to voice their opinion before a decision was taken.

Each case was revised every six months, where professionals involved evaluate the situation and propose a care plan for the minor to the Children and Young Persons’ Advisory Board, an independent board.

“Both minors and parents, if it’s in the best interest of the minors, are involved in drafting the care plan.

“Apart from this, parents may also request to meet with this board to voice their opinion. The board evaluates the care plan and forwards recommendations to the minister responsible…

“It is important to emphasise that in all this process, the interests and protection of the minors remain at the centre of each decision taken,” Appoġġ said.