Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina presented the second reading of the Foster Care Bill on Wednesday. Making the point that this was an innovative step for the Maltese Islands, because it was the first time a bill of this nature had been proposed, she stressed that all along, the best interests of the child are at the centre of the work undertaken in respect of foster care.

The minister explained that there are different kinds of foster care, such as emergency fostering and next of kin fostering, and that those undertaking the responsibility of being and becoming foster carers have to go through a lengthy process of selection, preparation and training. Prior to this bill, however, the rights and responsibilities of these people were not outlined and protected by law.

Speaking very warmly about the people who undertake the responsibility of rearing a child as if it was their own, even if for a short period, and expressing a multitude of thanks to them, Mrs Cristina stressed that aid, support and support structures in their regard need to be enhanced, particularly with regard to professional social workers specialising in this area.

“With 180 children already in foster care on the islands, this bill will ensure that fostering does not go unnoticed, and is not done through informal channels,” she said.

The minister highlighted the recommendations proposed in the bill – the setting up of a board specifically for monitoring foster carers, he decisions of which may be subject to appeal, the decision then being incontestable, and a central authority with an administrative function, which will install a regulatory system of accreditation for organisations and agencies related to fostering.

“I hope that this debate will be part of the campaign to bring in more foster carers,“ Mrs Cristina concluded. She will remain in possession of the house when Parliament resumes on Monday.

Constitution Amendment Bill – Committee Stage

Earlier during the sitting, parliament, in committee, had discussed the bill regarding the entrenchment of the office of the Ombudsman in the Constitution, and the increase in retirement age for magistrates and the attorney general to 65.

Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said that the Ombudsman’s role within the Constitution would be as “Commissioner for Administrative Investi-gations” – for this is what the role entails.

Labour spokesman Anglu Farrugia, while agreeing with the idea, felt that perhaps decisions made by the Ombudsman should be made binding. He was also concerned about the results of investigations carried out by the Ombudsman in the past, which had been followed by attacks on the very same Ombudsman.

Dr Farrugia suggested that parliament should look into the possibility of the Ombudsman also having jurisdiction over companies that have been privatised but are still offering a public

service.

The Parliamentary Secretary in the Justice and Home Affairs Ministry, Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici assured Dr Farrugia that the bill was being taken “nearly lock, stock and barrel” from Article 13 of the Ombudsman Act, so nothing much was being changed apart from its entrenchment in the Constitution.

As for making the Ombudsman’s decisions binding, once the Administrative Justice Tribunal is in place, “decisions will automatically be implemented”. Neither the minister nor the parliamentary secretary excluded the possibility of the ombudsman investigating private companies but it was felt that privatisation was still at too early a stage for this to be taken on now.

The bill was passed unanimously and will now move on to its third reading.