A total of 780 children are currently placed in alternative care programs in Cyprus, according to the Director of Social Welfare Services (SWS). Maria Kyratzi was speaking in the context of the event "Next to every child: Care, protection and rights for children under the care of the State", organized by the SWS of the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, in collaboration with the Commissioner for the Protection of Children's Rights.
At the event, which was attended by the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare Klea Hatzistefanou Papaellina, representatives of competent Services, Agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations, Local Authorities and Mass Media, emphasis was placed on the collective responsibility of the State and society for children who are under the legal care of the State. The initiative is the start of a series of actions planned to modernize the alternative care system.
Deputy Minister of Social Welfare: "Prejudice should be turned into understanding"
Ms. Papaellina said that the goal is to build an inclusive society that does not overlook, but embraces the diversity of experiences of a society that stands as a barrier against stigma and prejudice, ensuring equal opportunities for every child, regardless of the adversities of their beginning.
"We have the power to turn prejudice into understanding and isolation into full inclusion," he stressed.
Ms. Papaellina noted that at the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare and in particular at the Social Welfare Services, "we are working methodically to modernize the child protection system through the project "Restructuring of Social Welfare Services", which is implemented within the framework of the Cohesion Policy Program "THALIA 2021-2027", with the co-financing of the European Union".
In addition, the Deputy Minister stated that the establishment of "a modern legislative framework for children in care, as well as the modernization of the benefit policy that concerns them, is being promoted, so that we can substantially meet the real needs of both children and families who care for them every day with dedication and love".
780 children in alternative care programs
The Director of the SWS, Maria Kyratzi, presented the current situation and the plans to upgrade the services. According to data he presented, today 780 children are placed in alternative care programs, foster families, children's homes and semi-independent living structures for young people aged 16 to 21, depending on their needs, age and particularities.
Ms. Kyratzi underlined "today's data show that the needs of these children are multi-layered and increasing and this obliges us as a society and as a State to adapt, evolve and constantly improve the child protection and care system". At the same time, he stressed the crucial role of all involved services, agencies, local authorities, NGOs and media in promoting an approach that respects and protects children's rights.
Commissioner: "No child should grow up between gaps of responsibility"
The Commissioner for the Protection of Children's Rights, Elena Pericleous, underlined that ensuring the rights of children in state care is a collective responsibility and requires the cooperation of all competent services, with the sole aim of the best interests of the child.
Referring to public discourse, the Commissioner pointed out that the way we talk about children is an integral part of the way we protect them. He stressed that children should not be treated as a spectacle or a means of promotion, but with respect for their dignity, privacy and rights.
"Children don't just need to survive, they need to flourish," said Ms. Pericleous, adding that behind the term "children under the care of the State" are children who have already experienced loss, fear and instability, children who still have dreams and the right to joy. "These are not cases, they are not incidents, they are children. Perhaps the first thing they need is not to feel that we are abandoning them for the second time. This time from the system itself, the abandonment, which is supposed to be present there and protect them," he noted.
The role of SMEs and the digital environment
Particular emphasis was also placed on the role played by the media in the protection of minors. Lawyer Andri Aristidou, representing the Broadcasting and Digital Services Authority, highlighted the obligations established by the Digital Services Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, marking the transition from reaction to prevention and systemic oversight of online platforms.
The Secretary General of the Union of Cyprus Journalists, Eleni Constantinou, stressed that children in state care are a multiply vulnerable group and called on journalists to strictly adhere to protocols and rules of ethics, protecting the privacy, dignity and mental health of minors.
The president of the Journalistic Ethics Committee, Elli Kotzamani, pointed out that in the modern digital age, information is circulated uncontrollably from multiple sources. In this context, he noted that the responsibility of the media remains particularly important and is inextricably linked to the responsibility of the State to strengthen the education of citizens, with the aim of critically evaluating content, recognizing disinformation phenomena and understanding the consequences of public exposure, especially of children and vulnerable groups. necessitating citizens' media literacy for critical content assessment and misinformation recognition, especially when it comes to children and vulnerable groups.
The event took place in the context of the wider modernization of the SWS and is the first step in a series of actions focusing on the principles of interest, protection, provision and participation, as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
CNA
