Malta should move away from large institution-style residential homes and start investing in smaller homes catering for a handful of children, social workers believe.
Speaking to The Times, officials from the Maltese Association of Social Workers pointed out that this would allow children living in residential care to have a family-style environment while not living within a family.
"Small homes are not only more manageable but also allow carers to give more individual attention to the children," association deputy president Roslynn Vella said.
She said large institutions with more than 10 children should be phased out and replaced by small group homes of about five children.
But this would not come cheap and the government would need to dig deep to get such residential homes up and running. In fact, Fr Antoine Farrugia, a member of the association's executive committee, said it is estimated that each home would need about €160,000 a year to run.
"It is always positive that the Church helps out when it comes to this sector but ultimately the responsibilities lie with those who manage the country," Fr Farrugia said.
He emphasised that some children could not be placed in the same home; a child who tends to be abusive and threatening should not live with a group of children who need protection. "Different children need different environments," he said.
The two social workers, both of whom have extensive experience working in residential care, are concerned that the lack of smaller homes makes it difficult to find a placement in crisis situations.
Residential homes for children were catapulted into the public eye earlier this year after it was announced that a report commissioned by the Gozo Curia had found cases of inadmissible behaviour involving minors at Lourdes Home, in Għajnsielem. Shortly afterwards it was announced that the 10 children living in the home were going to be re-homed after the Sisters decided not to continue working with minors.
The move has raised eyebrows. Children's Commissioner Carmen Zammit has criticised the way the children were being uprooted from the home.
The social workers too are worried, with Ms Vella saying that such a move will have a "certain effect" on the children, adding that it is imperative to support them so that they would be able to move forward.
She pointed out that social workers responsible for children in care are frequently faced with crises during which they have to find alternative placements for children. But the choices are limited and alternatives are not always available, Fr Farrugia said.
Ms Vella said that, although in the past 15 years the government has invested heavily in services within the community, residential care still depends greatly on charity, with many homes run by the Church. And since many religious people who run homes dedicate their whole day to children, the risk of burnout is very real.
"We are very concerned that this might lead to other homes opting not to take care of children anymore," Ms Vella said.
Fr Farrugia said employing lay people to replace religious people was not a simple process and it was costly.
It has been estimated that, taking into consideration vacation leave, sick leave and the 40-hour week, it would need 4.5 employees to replace each religious person.