A Memorandum of Understanding was sealed on Wednesday morning with the main aim of devising a child screening strategy to identify and identify difficulties from an early age. This is in both physical and intellectual development so that all the preventive steps needed for the best development of the child can be taken.
This is one of the proposals of the Government’s electoral manifesto, and that through inter-ministerial work between the Ministry for the Family, the Rights of the Child and Social Solidarity, the Ministry for Education and Employment, the Ministry of Health, together with the Parliamentary Secretariat for People with Disabilities and Active Aging, provides immediate assistance to children who may exhibit personal difficulties.
This agreement will lead to the creation of a national strategy, to help identify screening services for newborns up to the age of 16. The goal is to recognize physical, intellectual, psychosocial, and educational challenges, among others.
Once these challenges have been identified, interventions will be implemented according to the needs of children in need of help. This EMP will be managed by Aġenzija Appoġġ, in cooperation with the entities that fall under the other respective ministries.
Minister Michael Falzon said that this cooperation is another important step when it comes to helping children from an early age, this together with the holistic policy of the government which is making children a priority above all, through continuous reforms. espeThe Minister for the Family, Children’s Rights and Social Solidarity cially with regard to vulnerable children and those under a protection order.
Minister Falzon stated that the ministry has already carried out more than 80% of the electoral manifesto, a clear testament to the work being done in this area. He also recalled the commitment made to include more people with disabilities in the world of work, especially young people.
The Minister for Education and Employment Owen Bonnici reminded that the education sector in Malta has always been at the forefront of ensuring that every child is given the same opportunity so that they can enjoy the most appropriate learning. He said, “Thanks to this MOU we will see that children are given a holistic service as well as more synergy between the fields of education, health and social services.”
“This MOU will serve for children to benefit from assessment services and referrals to services not only medical, but also in the educational as well as the social field. This is a very important step through which we will ultimately continue to strengthen and improve the educational service in our country “, added Minister Bonnici.
Parliamentary Secretary for Active Aging and People with Disabilities Silvio Parnis said that this strategy is a clear demonstration of how much the government is committed to further improving the quality of life of people with disabilities. Thanks to this strategy, where there will also be an Operation Unit within the Support Agency, children will be screened in order to recognize as soon as possible the difficulties in both physical and intellectual development that may occur. there is, with a view to doing everything possible for the better development of these children. The parliamentary secretary went on to say that through such measures the government will continue to ensure that people with disabilities have an ever-improving quality of life, that the services offered to them continue to improve and that they are eliminated once and for all. forever the barriers to accessibility that these people still face.
