The government is planning a relationship and parenting policy that will include pre-wedding courses, currently only offered by the Church.
Family Minister Michael Farrugia said at the moment there were no preparation programmes for civil marriages or civil unions, and he felt “this was important”.
“Most of the time, we realise there is a problem when it’s too late and the relationship is over. Ideally, we manage to tackle problems at an early stage,” he said, adding that the idea was to nourish more stable relationships.
Marriage preparation courses are only in place for Catholic couples, who have to attend a compulsory Cana Movement course before getting married in church. But Dr Farrugia said the government courses would be “very different” from the ones offered by Cana.
Although he would not elaborate on the content, he said the courses would deal with a couple’s behaviour and identify problems.
“One of the areas we will certainly focus on is to train couples how to nip a problem in the bud and not let things get worse,” he said.
Not enough is being done
At the moment, he said, when couples had a problem they started separation proceedings, went to a lawyer, then a mediator. “But if it fails... the problem is not solved.”
Dr Farrugia, himself separated, said the idea for this came about after the divorce referendum in 2011, which highlighted two issues that up till then had not been given due importance: parenting and relationships.
The parenting policy was also at an advanced stage and should be ready by the end of the year. At the moment, he said, parenting facilities were scattered in many departments and lacked coordination.
“We have to ensure there is no vacuum.” He cited drugs and parenting as a case in point. “Do parents know how to deal with their children who become addicted to drugs? Are they prepared for that?”
When it was pointed out that Caritas – the Church NGO – was pivotal in drug rehabilitation in Malta, he felt “not enough is being done”.
He said the aftercare sector had to be strengthened. “Aftercare is not simply to check if a person is clean. Part of the responsibility is helping that person’s parents, and partner. And how much are we preparing them for the labour market? Caritas gives a service, but is it enough?”
University undergraduates who were in their final year of social work would hopefully be taken on immediately, he said, so that the government agency Appoġġ could offer more services.
“We will be investing heavily in aftercare and prevention,” Dr Farrugia said. This will be combined with other services in the community.
“Today people come to us; we do not go knocking on their door. We want to change our role.”