Child Protection Directorate

No. The Child Protection Directorate does not automatically remove children from their families. That option is reserved for critical situations where the well-being of the minor(s) is significantly at risk. The Child Protection Directorate is invested in the business of enhancing the safety of children within their respective households, and this is done by supporting and enabling families raise their standards at home.

The Child Protection Directorate is NOT involved in the trafficking of children and actively works to combat any such criminal activity. The removal of children and consequent placement in an out-of-home care placement is done with the highest sensitivity towards the particularities of the case; it is only considered as an option to safeguard the well-being and best interests of the minor. 

The Directorate is tasked with investigating any allegations of child abuse. The outcome of this assessment shall then build a care/intervention plan that is tailored to the needs of a child (and family). This intervention plan always targets problem areas, and its mission is to elevate the respective family out of a problematic context, by involving other professionals from different services to support the family members.

Supervised access visits are aimed to help children feel safe with their parents by ensuring that their wishes and rights are continuously safeguarded. 

Supervised contact is offered for family situations in which a parent is a victim of substance abuse, has mental health issues, poor parenting skills, or there is a lack of relationship with the child. In addition, when there is a clear and evident concern for victim and children safety at a visitation, supervised contact may be the best option.

Supervised access visits are mandatory; the Family Court or the Child Protection Directorate refer the respective families. Therefore, if you are undergoing separation and need our support, you can file a request to the court. 

During the interventions with all the concerned family members, we have noticed that children strive for positive parental bonding and a healthy attachment. The child’s well-being is continuously guarded, and together with both parents, the involved professionals reduce any harm to the children and help them develop stability in their lives. 

The service offers supervised contact from Mondays to Fridays from 8 am to 8 pm, and on Saturdays from 8 am to 5 pm. Visits usually are initiated at the agency premises so that professionals can assess the family situation and then recommend the modality of access, frequency, and venue to the authority board. Visits can also be conducted in public places as well as at a parent’s home after a professional assessment. 

The supervisors are obliged to supervise the relationship between the children and the visiting parent throughout the time of the session and relate back what has happened during the said relationship. There are certain situations where the Family Court or The Child Protection Directorate refer a family to be monitored rather than supervised. In such instances, our workers would be following the session by spending a portion of the time of the visit with the child/ren and the visiting parent. Through our involvement, we ensure that the child/ren are safeguarded and are also able to pass on any essential parenting tips to the visiting parents. This can only take place when there is an order from the Family Court or the Child Protection Directorate.
Contact numbers : 2295 9000/ 9944 2179/9942 8393

The involved well-qualified professionals are requested by the Family Court to assess the family environment and the people living or having contact with children whose parents are undergoing separation within the Family Court. The Family Court would usually generally require the professional to address child custody, residence, and visitation rights. After approximately 8 – 10 weeks of interventions, the professional submits a report to court as a court expert. The service is free unless the court orders differently.

The professionals meet the parents, children, and any other family members around the children’s social network at the agency premises and their respective homes. The social workers visit the children at schools and conduct surprise home visits during access with the children. During these interventions, the professionals assess patterns of interactions between the parents and the children, forecast conflict between the parents, and liaise with other professionals that may be involved with the family and mediate to avoid potential litigation.

Once the interventions are done, a social work report is prepared for the Family Court Judge with the relevant recommendations for the assessed family, by raising feasible and possible means for the family to create an atmosphere of harmony.

The service is court-mandated, and anyone who wishes for or needs such an assessment must submit a court application. 

Contact numbers: 21492348