The Children's Commissioner has been asked by Professor Andrew Azzopardi to sanction the government for the "inadequate practice" of children's prison visitations as well as to push for the government to see to it that this situation is "resolved immediately."

The letter was sent by academic within the Faculty for Social Wellbeing Andrew Azzopardi, to Children's Commissioner Antoinette Vassallo, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri, Prison Director Chris Siegersma, Commissioner for Welfare and Development of Prisoners Steve Liberi, Nationalist Party MP Darren Carabott, and Ombudsman Judge Emeritus Joseph Zammit McKeon

In this letter, Azzopardi said that he had recently visited an inmate inside the Corradino Correctional Facility, during which he saw that there were three children which he estimated were aged between two and seven years old. He remarked that this was not an isolated case, as each time he has gone to visit in the past he has seen several minors who were visiting their parents or relatives in the prison. "There were moments when I even saw babies and toddlers," he added.

He continued that he is in favour of parents or relatives staying in contact with children, but that this should be done in a "protected and non-military environment", and not in situations where the officials assume a security role as if "even the visitors, including the children, are inmates". He added that the environment of the halls that are used for visits within the men's section is inadequate and that there is a "level of danger" for the children as they are not properly equipped. "Apart from that," he continued, "the environment is degrading and I doubt how much the hall on the lower side has access for children who use wheelchairs or have mobility problems."

"The situation of the children is already traumatic in this context, let alone with all these shortcomings," he commented.

Speaking about his complaints, Azzopardi said that although the government had, "with so much pomp," announced that there would be a designated area outside of the prison's main building as well as inside the prison for children to visit their parents in prison, "this is not being done, or it is not being done for everyone". He said that children have a right to be looked after and that this right is being infringed, which is endangering their mental well-being.

Azzopardi listed a number of recommendations which he believes would improve the situation for children.

Going through some of the recommendations, he started by saying that the building which the government has been indicating since 2022 should begin being used "always and for everyone". He continued that all minors should never have visits in the main prison building, "due to the traumatic situation it continues to create". He said that no excuse is to be made for visits to be reduced because "they do not cope with the number of requests for minor children to see relatives in this building". He said that the safety of the children should be safeguarded at all times and that the searches carried out on children should not be invasive as well as that officers should be given specific training in this regard.

Among his recommendations, Azzopardi said that the Children's Commissioner should nominate her representatives "on every structure that exists in the prison, monitoring board, prison board, etc". He added that the Commissioner should be given the chance to visit and talk with the prisoners and all interested parties on this issue, including child experts, and publish a report within three months. He continued that a permanent consultative committee should be created within the prison to deal with issues related to children and prisoners.

Azzopardi's recommendations concluded with the recommendation that the Children's Commissioner should always have access to the prison and that the law is to be amended to allow this if there is a need to do so.

He concluded by saying that these recommendations build on what was suggested in a prior document regarding suggestions for improvements in the prisons, in which it was stated that visitation should be improved by giving officials training on how to deal with visitors and allowing prisoners with children to see their children in adequate places outside of Corradino.

The Office of the Commissioner for Children, in response, said that it has received a number of concerns from Professor Andrew Azzopardi regarding children visiting Corradino Correctional Facilities (CCF).

"We thank him for bringing his concerns to the attention of our Office in the best interests of children. As Commissioner, I have already made a request for information regarding these concerns so as to be able to make the necessary recommendations for the full implementation of children's rights as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child."