The Child Protection Directorate
A
ll children ought to live happy lives. It is the construct that many of us treat as reality in our world. Most unfortunately, this ideal fails to capture a fraction of the child population that does not enjoy the same degree of joy and serenity that we seem to want for our children. It is for this reason that services like the Child Protection Services exist.
In line with the spirit of the act, all care plans are loyal to a set of founding principles that serve as the bedrock to all actions under the auspice of this act. The primary principles include; expediency; participation of the minor; and due process. Any plan will in some way display an integration of these principles, as professionals attempt to enhance the security and the serenity of the minor who is considered at risk. It must be stated, that there are occasions where the future of these children may not be with their families of origin, due to unsuccessful movement towards meaningful change in their lives.
Steve Libreri Director Child Protection Services
Nowadays, the Maltese Islands are equipped with a directorate that specialises in investigations of child abuse, maltreatment and neglect. Our country has only recently seen a breakthrough in what is the realm of children services, following a successful enactment of the Minors’ Protection (alternative care) act; a document that has eluded policy makers and drafters of the law for many decades. It has now arrived, and with it a number of important departments and offices have been established and embellished with specific powers that authorises them to take the necessary action to protect the minors. The Child Protection Services is one of those establishments. The task of the director, and therefore the whole department, is to receive and investigate any report about an alleged abuse. Through highly technical and specialised interventions, the professionals that operate this service meticulously analyse the evidence gathered through a forensically designed process with the scope of establishing the presence of abuse in the life of a minor. It is with this information that professionals then embark on a second phase of the child protection process; a phase which is dedicated to the design of a care plan that centres around the needs of the particular child.
However, the priority of the service, given by people like the Foundation for Social Welfare Services and that of the Ministry for Family, Children’s Rights and Social Solidarity, is to keep families together where possible. Any individual who believes that they are aware of a situation of abuse may file a report at any police station or by visiting the Child Protection premises at 220, Cannon Road Santa Venera. The CPS also receive reports through the official support line 179 operated by Agenzija Appogg. familja.media@gov.mt
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