The outcome from the UNICEF report “World of Influence: Understanding what shapes child well-being in rich countries” in relation to our children were shocking.

I discussed this with Prof. Carmel Borg, who apart from being the Head of the Department of Arts, Open Communities, and Adult Education, is also a member of the Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society. He is also a member of the board of administrators of the Foundation for Social Wellbeing. We spoke during my radio show ‘Andrew Azzopardi on 103FM’.

Prof. Borg was literally livid at the way we are postponing decisions in this sector when the indices are showing us some very troubling data. A whole set of indicators confirm that we are far from the comeback trail. Let’s call things as they are (and once again we have the evidence in front of us), ‘the state of children in our society is not blissful’;

… children hardly have a voice… ...children are not involved in decision-making, especially when it comes to pronouncements that involve them directly… …children in foster homes and residential homes need more protection and a serious commitment for the new child protection law to be implemented in its entirety, with all the required resources in place… …children need more professionals to support them and UM needs to provide even more specialized training… …children are unjustly used by their parents when on the brink of separation as pawns and ragdolls…

…children should be protected by mediators, rather than left to the turbulent experience of facing a magistrate who takes forever to decide…

…children need a sturdier Commission for Children… …children should not be used by political parties as ‘a backdrop’…

…children need a political champion to make sure their issues are placed on the agenda… …children should have all legislations enacted in Parliament produced in ‘child-friendly format’…

…children aged 16 years and over should be allowed to contest elections…

…children should be given space to explore their sexuality without being looked down upon… …children representatives should be part of the school leadership team…

…children with ADHD and other

conditions should be supported more closely, instead of being singled out…

…children should have more space to express themselves and their ideas in the media… …children should be represented in all State institutions and authorities…

…children’s mental and physical wellbeing are ignored when we are turning our country into a concrete jungle…

…children of politicians and public officials should be protected from excessive spotlight … …children should not be used in telethons to collect money whether it is for them or some other cause, whether it is following an assessment or not by Appoġġ…

…children should be at the top of our University research and lecturing agenda…

...children should be consulted by the Unions before any draconian measures are taken, especially when it comes to schooling…

…children need to be supported during these extraordinary COVID-19 times…

…children of inmates serving time should never be stopped from accessing their parents… ...children in residential care (estimated at around 200) should be given the opportunity to be adopted…

…children of immigrants need to be supported even more… …children are being bullied and some are so distressed they contemplate suicide… …children whose parents are gay are still being bullied and discriminated against…

...children who are perpetrators of bullying are not being provided with enough services… …children should never be placed in prison…

…children with drug addiction programs should have tailored services…

…children should have more places where to play… …children should be allowed to be creative and innovative and our schooling system should lend itself to that…

…children should be raised by their parents (unless there are justifiable reasons for grandparents or others to be involved so intensely)…

…children should be protected from trafficking, prostitution and other vices…

…children should not be left in child care and other programs for endless hours – it affects them severely…

…children should be given quality time and quantity time by their parents…

…children’s quality of life is being hindered by the craving of adults for a capitalist economic model that forgets all about ‘the person’…

…children, an estimated 1,700 of them under the age of 16 years, were found to have eating disorders by the Faculty for Social Wellbeing and Dar Kenn għal Saħħtek – now if this is not serious, I really don’t know what is…

…children need to be pressured less to achieve and given more space to be creative… …children should not be stereotyped in taking on studies and eventually careers according to their gender…

…children are being pressured by their parents to achieve in sports, music, drama as if there is no tomorrow – when these activities should be about fun … …children should not be ferried from one extracurricular to another without having any time to reflect and enjoy these experiences, especially if it is a way to keep parents quiet… …children should not be forced into attending religious classes, museum if they do not want to…

…children should not take on adult responsibilities like taking care of their ailing parents or relatives…

…children who are siblings to brothers and sisters with a disability should still be given the space to develop…

…children should start experiencing the fruition of the National Children’s Policy…

…children should have well-kept and secure outside playing areas in every town and village…

…children should feel safe in our communities…

…children shouldn’t live or be at the risk of poverty...

…children should have the right to be happy…