Further to the interview Children’s interests should always be a priority (TMID, 26 May), I wish to clarify a few points which were mentioned in the article. The article itself was somewhat fragmented and disjointed, incorporating a vast range of issues and lacking one particular focus.

With regard to the issue of residential care, there does not exist a vacuum in the provision of residential services for children, but rather a few lacunae. While residential care services are available for children and young people, these currently do not adequately cater for the varying needs of children as effectively as they could. A variety of services (such as specialised fostering and more community services) should be introduced in order to address existing gaps, and these should be tailored to the specific needs of the children who require them.

In terms of the proposed paedophile register, I would like to correct the statement in the article which asserts that “The Commissioner believes that such a register should not be kept by a particular agency but be more widely available since often enough parents choose to send their children to private lessons, sometimes at children’s homes.”

In this interview, as well as in previous discussions on the subject, I have always stressed that this particular issue is a very delicate one which would have to be developed in conjunction with all relevant stakeholders in the field following in-depth discussions on the issue. Following this debate from various experts in the field, it will be possible to formulate a system on how this initiative can be implemented, who should keep it, what level of information should be made available, and to whom.

Carmen Zammit

Commissioner for Children

Santa Venera