A child protection law which passed last year but never came into force has been scrapped and will be replaced by a new Bill to be presented to Parliament before the summer recess.
The Child Protection Bill was tabled in Parliament five years ago by President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, then family and social solidarity minister. The draft law was revised by her successor as family minister, Michael Farrugia, and the new Bill was approved by the House in January of 2017.
But a legal notice bringing it into force was not published.
The Family Ministry has gone back to the drawing board and consulted with all stakeholders – including foster carers, who voiced concern during a recent magisterial inquiry into the operations of a board that advises on out-of-home care.
The new Bill will be presented to Parliament for a first reading in the coming months, before it breaks for summer, a Family Ministry spokeswoman told this newspaper.
Family Minister Michael Falzon was yesterday asked whether there will be any changes to the Children and Young Persons Advisory Board and the system in which it operated.
Earlier this year, Judge Michael Mallia noted that there was no political pressure on any decision taken by the board, however “certain decisions… could have been more in favour of the child’s interests than those of the biological parents”.
In his considerations, Mr Justice Mallia also referred to complaints from foster carers about intimidation and an arrogant attitude by the board.
Dr Falzon said the board was still functioning in line with the current law to avoid creating a vacuum. Any changes would be implemented once the new law was implemented.
The Family Minister was speaking following the launch of a campaign urging people to take up fostering.
Asked whether the government was committed to allowing the adoption of children who had remained in out-of-home care for several years, the minister said such issues were being considered during the ongoing consultation but he could not make any commitments until the new Bill was finalised.
Our aim, he said, is that whenever possible, children will have a family environment.
Current data shows that only half of the children in out-of-home care are fostered. At the end of 2017, 230 of the total 480 who were not living with their biological parents were being fostered by 208 carers.
The number of new carers, which reached a low of seven in 2016, increased to 39 last year, but more needs to be done, Foundation for Social Welfare Services CEO Alfred Grixti said at the launch of the campaign ‘Open your heart and your home – choose fostering’.
Encouraging people to take up foster care should in no way be understood as criticism of homes for children, Mr Grixti said.
He commended the family environment created at children’s homes and the care priests and nuns provided for years on end.
At the launch, service manager Josephine Muscat said that when children were taken into care by foster parents who provided them with a family environment, they often found a sense of security and stability.
The Fostering Service at Agenzija Appoġġ can be reached on 2295 9000, 9901 0533 or 9955 7704.