Ministry of Gender, Family, and Social Services has revealed that 40 children were taken under state care, and 10 children were adopted in 2022.
The authorities are making a lot of efforts to reunite the children under state care with their families. The ministry stated the biggest challenge in reuniting the children with their families is the lack of improvement in the familial situation, such as abusers remaining in the household, caregivers refusing to listen to the children, and drug addicts living at the residence.
According to the Child and Family Protection Service, 23 girls and 17 boys were taken under state care last year. The children who were adopted included seven girls and three boys. Children are taken into state care because the child's protection is not ensured within their own families. Last year alone, numerous cases were recorded in which drug-addicted parents had left their children at hospitals. As such, 11 children who were left at hospitals were taken into state care last year.
The gender ministry also said that special efforts should be made to bring children over 18 back into society. The ministry is working with the relevant agencies to provide job opportunities and skill development programmes for the children. Last year, 40 children in state care were reintegrated into their families or received jobs as well as internship opportunities. They include 22 girls and 18 boys. The ministry said there are currently 187 children in state care, including 82 girls and 105 boys.