Nineteen standards for homes for people with a disability were launched this afternoon by Parliamentary Secretary Justyne Caruana.

The standards deal with the necessary information residents should familiarise themselves with before joining the home, ensuring they had the necessary support, deal with privacy and security, dignity, and the option to choose.

The standards were drawn up by the Social Welfare Department in collaboration with stakeholders such as the National Council for Persons with a Disability, the Dar tal-Providenza and Dar il-Kaptan over the past year.

The standards, which cover all residential homes for people with a disability in Malta, come into effect today.

The homes will be monitored by the Department of Social Welfare.

Welfare standards assessment unit manager Stefania Dimech Sant said the department would be monitoring and engaging in a relationship with the service providers to encourage them to adopt the standards.

It was also announced during the launch that 10 community homes are to be opened, the first of which in Siggiewi in the coming weeks.

By the end of the year similar standards would be launched for the respite and day care homes of people with disability.