A mother of three is claiming that her children, who are no longer in her custody following a care order issued by a court last April, are being beaten and mistreated by their carers at Fra Diegu Institute in Ħamrun.

The allegations were made in a judicial protest filed by the 38-year-old mother against Social Policy Minister Michael Farrugia.

She claimed that her children, two girls aged 14 and 12, and a boy, 10, had been repeatedly mistreated by their carers.

Although a report had been filed with the police, it seemed that investigations were still ongoing as no action was taken, the protest said.

The judicial protest, signed by lawyer Edward Gatt, said the mother had filed several applications to the court which originally issued the care order, only to see them expunged from the case file. Consequently she was instructed to seek different legal avenues.

While acknowledging that there had been difficulties in the past, the mother expressed her concern that her children were being “systematically traumatised and mistreated” by the staff at the home, instead of receiving proper care.

She also expressed her frustration that authorities seemed reluctant to take a decision as they were merely passing the buck and the matter was left unresolved. The mother argued that the children had been better off in her custody.

In view of this, she asked the court to order the minister to take the necessary steps to safeguard her children’s safety.