Professionals working with children have strongly condemned the threat of expulsion of 22 kids threatened with eviction, warning authorities that no policy should be prioritised to the detriment of young people’s mental health.

“It is unacceptable that anyone, including this policy, should take a decision to rob these children of a childhood and their future, especially based on their parent’s financial income,” the Maltese Association of Psychiatry said.

The children have had their residence permits refused by Identity Malta.

According to Identity Malta, their parents do not satisfy the financial requirements of a policy that requires third-country nationals to earn €19,000 a year and €3,800 extra for each child.

The association flagged the “large discrepancy” between the minimum income quota stipulated in this policy and Malta’s minimum wage (around €9,140) that many other families were raising their children on.

The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, which includes psychiatrists, psychologists, pediatricians, nurses and social workers among others, meanwhile, also noted that the early years were crucial for the development of children’s self-identity and their sense of belonging to a community.

Major factors in this process were a child’s family, friendships and educational opportunities, they added.

“Instability during childhood could have irreversible psychological consequences. Undoubtedly, imposing the policy is a means of depriving children of all these factors, with potential life-long impact on their self-identity and sense of belonging,” a spokeswoman said.

Both associations are urging the authorities to take immediate action in terms of the discrepancies and adverse impact of thestipulated policy.

“No policy should be considered above the mental health of any child and adolescent,” they said.