The first residential home in the community for persons with disabilities was inaugurated by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat this afternoon.

Nestled in a quiet square in Siġġiewi, the home is the first of 10 such residences planned for communities around Malta and Gozo and catering for people with different needs and levels of independence.

Visiting the new home, which already hosts two residents and will host two more in the coming weeks, Dr Muscat said the goal was to promote independence while ensuring full integration with the community.

He called on the residents of Siġġiewi to do their part in welcoming the new residents, who are themselves already working and studying, to the community.

Also addressing journalists, parliamentary secretary for disability Justyne Caruana said the residence’s 24/7 staff would be employing a new methodology whereby residents carried out all home activities themselves.

She said a second home would open in Gozo in the next few months and up to five more over the course of the next year.

“Disability is a multi-faceted issue and through each of these homes we will be addressing all these different facets,” she said.

Dr Muscat also defended the government’s proposed €12 million “disability hub”, which has been criticised by the former chairman of the disability commission as “segregation by stealth”.

The Prime Minister denied that this would be the case and said the hub would itself be integrated into the community. The hub’s facilities – including commercial spaces, a pool and respite and day care centres – are planned to be open to the public.

“The main aim is to provide services and needs that cannot be catered for in the community,” he said.