Professionals will be offering counselling sessions free-of-charge to vulnerable people identified through the support lines 1772 and 179.

Eight counselling sessions will be offered to those in need by professionals at the Malta Association for the Counselling Profession.

Since the helpline 1772 was set up a month ago to offer support to people who felt alone, 2,000 calls had been made, said Aġenzija Appoġġ operations director Remenda Grech.

Support workers manning those lines now have the option of referring people on for further support, if they felt it was needed, she added.

The new service was unveiled on Friday by Family Minister Michael Falzon. 

“While on the one hand it is good to know that people are making use of the service, on the other, it is worrying there are so many people calling because they are lonely,” Falzon said. 

The support lines 1772 and 179 are manned by support workers from the Foundation of Social Welfare Services.

While 1772 was set up a month ago to support the elderly and those who are feeling lonely during the pandemic, 179 has been around for longer and offers referral services and information on local social welfare services.

Last month another helpline, 1770, was set up by Richmond Foundation to offer additional mental support to those who need it.

Parents' visitation rights by phone

He also added that on Thursday the courts had agreed to allow supervised visitation rights by audiovisually under the auspices of Appoġġ, after a number of parents were being restricted from physically seeing their children due to the pandemic.

“This week Appoġġ installed all the necessary technology and these phone calls will be monitored by the supervisor of the agency who will ensure the wellbeing of the minors,” he said.

This press conference was streamed live and journalists were not allowed to ask any questions.