The government has updated draft legislation on the counselling profession prepared by the last administration and intends to move the Bill in Parliament shortly, Solidarity Minister Marie-Louise Coleiro-Preca said.

Speaking at a training seminar of the Maltese Association for the Counselling Profession, the minister said:

“The legislation will allow your profession to be recognised by law. It will ensure regulated standards, firstly for the people who put their lives in your care. The legislation will also give the necessary recognition at law and will also ensure regulated standards for you and your profession, to safeguard you and secure high professional standards and the best professional output.

“We are giving the Council the right to set up its own investigative committee to handle complaints dealing with improper professional behaviour, negligence or incompetence.”

Ms Coleiro Preca said the government was working hard to build community-based networks to service communities and society at large with targeting and effective policies.

In her address, the minister said the people were living longer, but more and more elderly people were experiencing loneliness, social exclusion, loss of self-worth and financial worries.

Likewise, family patterns were changing at a fast rate.

“We are experiencing diverse relationships which are constantly changing. Starting, maintaining and ending relationships have become a challenge to our society.

“The rate of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion has increased dramatically in the last years, as have people living in sub-standard accommodation.

“Our latest social statistics for 2012 show that from 88,000 persons in 2011 at risk of poverty and social exclusion, in 2012 this increased to 94,000 persons.

The rate for children at risk of poverty and social exclusion for 2012 has reached new heights too. It is now at 31%.

“While the rate for the 65+ in 2012 has risen to 22.3%,” she said.