The Fra Diego Home in Ħamrun will be able to house 30 children, up from the current eight, after a refurbished wing was inaugurated this morning.

Although the home used to house tens of vulnerable children in the past, the numbers recently dropped as the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart, who administer and manage the home, grew older.

Through a new project in collaboration with the government, which will be providing €610,000 every year, four apartments accommodating eight children each will be fully operational by mid next year.

Priority will be given to siblings, Social Solidarity Minister Michael Farrugia said. At the moment, once boys turn 10 they have to be moved to a home for male kids only. Through the new project they will be able to stay at the Fra Diego home until they turn 18.

The new premises, which have been refurbished in the past years through funds provided by benefactors, will be equipped with a library, a gym, a multi-sensory room and a computer lab.

The children will also be helped with the transition into independent life when they turn 18 and followed up by social workers, the minister added.

Speaking at the same launch, Mgr Victor Zammit McKeon, director of the office in charge of children's homes, said in the meantime he hoped they would find people willing to foster or adopt the children.

“Kids’ place is not in a children’s home but in a family. I have been saying this for years and it’s still valid today,” he said, noting he was concerned at the growing numbers of children in out-of-home care.

There are at the moment some 600 in out-of-home care, including fostering.

Franciscan Provincial Sister Josephine Xuereb said today’s inauguration was a dream come true as she had always looked forward to the day when 10-year-old boys were not separated from their siblings.