Personalised social services are provided for individuals, related to their specific needs and circumstances, in contrast to standardised services, provided to people as members of categories.
In this regard, the social services for children represent a set of measures that address the personal needs of the family, or the child, aimed at overcoming a situation of difficulty or to prevent social exclusion and poverty.
While cash benefits, such as children’s allowances and in-work benefits, are very important to move people away from the risk of poverty, many times money alone can only go so far and in certain situations, not far at all.
When a parent finds childcaring a challenge, they would probably need assistance in parenting, and not just a cheque. When a child is unable to follow a regular programme of education, he or she would specifically need a youth worker or a learning assistant. In fact, social services for children seek to ensure both the socio-economic and the emotional development of children.
A closer look at Malta’s Social Vision 2035, the Poverty Strategy 2024 and the National Action Plan for the Child Guarantee 2030, suggest a common strategy of providing an integrated package of care that is user-friendly and where the child also is involved.
We have developed social services for children and for their families, at different levels and for different groups of clients. With this in mind, in the last years our focus was on community-based services. Similarly, the ‘Positive Parenting’ programme was created to assist parents in adapting a culture for positive parenting that develops children into happy adolescents aware of their potential and motivated to realise their dreams.
The ‘Incredible Years’ programme that offers support to parents when raising infants has been a great success. Yet again, the home-based therapeutic services, together with community social work is providing real time assistance in crisis situations. This service, which is based on the Norwegian multi-systemic approach, offers multiple platforms to support service users, ranging from traditional, to online individual and group sessions, while physically meeting the clients on their own turf, that is at home.
Child-friendly social services need to be accessible, adequate- Michael Falzon
At another level, there are specialised social services for children, whose situation is more complex, and which require multi-sectorial intervention. They include the ‘Engaging Through Active Learning’ programme in collaboration with the Department of Education, the ‘Embark for Life’ programme for young people who need assistance outside the formal education system, and the ‘Adolescent Day’ programme and the one-to-one youth work. In addition, there are addiction-related specialist services and care for victims of sexual abuse.
The residential services are another tier of services, where the number of clients is relatively small, but the service more intensive. Such services include the addiction rehabilitation services and community homes for children and adolescents who need alternative care.
There are also a wide range of complimentary services provided by voluntary organisations. The government has here entered into a number of public social partnerships in order to cover services and groups of clients that are best addressed by NGOs.
At all stages, it is extremely important that the rights of children are respected and protected. In this regard their views are taken into account, they participate in care planning and express their opinion about the way their case is dealt with. The overriding objective is always to achieve stability and well-being of children and to avoid stigmatisation.
Concretely, child-friendly social services need to be accessible, adequate for children, ethical and evidence based and with the full participations of children.
Coordination is another very important aspect. Maybe it is time to consider the setting up of a national body that reaches the main ministries which are responsible for children. This while integrating and consolidating the multi-functional approach at community level.
Children’s own perspectives have to be much more included in the social security system. This does not need large amounts of financial resources, but instead calls for a culture of the recognition of children and their capabilities.
Michael Falzon is Minister for Social Policy and Children’s Rights.