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Positive feedback on family and community centre

The Ministry for Health, Care and Justice and the Care Agency visited the Family and Community Centre on Friday.

The Drop-In service opens once a week to parents and children below school age whereby parents attend and take an active role in the preparation and the provision of activities.

Minister for Health, Care and Justice Neil Costa expressed his immense pleasure and satisfaction at the success of the centre saying the Government was committed to improving the well-being of children and their families, especially through the implementation of early intervention.

“We will continue to invest and support this area of work to ensure our present and future generations enjoy all available opportunities to become secure and emotionally healthy members of our society,” he said.

The Centre said a Government statement had provided an invaluable opportunity to families by offering them support and guidance as well as offering them the opportunity of meeting other parents “as well as enjoying quality time with their children in a warm and comfortable environment”.

The Centre, according to the statement had seen a steady increase in attendance, with initial numbers ranging from 11 children and nine parents, to 28 children and 20 parents.

The Family and Community Centre has also opened its doors to an older group of children on Thursday afternoons between 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

During these sessions, the Centre worker and an experienced volunteer have been working closely with these children and have provided them with the opportunity to engage in outdoor and indoor activities.

The number of children attending these sessions has increased since the onset of this initiative, with numbers rising to a total number of 15 children.

Another highly welcomed initiative has been the introduction of a Positive Parenting Programme, called Handling Anger.

The Chief Executive for the Care Agency Natalie Tavares noted that engaging older children and young people was very important to the team.

She highlighted that “having volunteers involved in this project provided these individuals the opportunity to give something back to the community. This is truly a vocational area of work”.

The Head of Children’s Service, Nicole Viagas, said the Care Agency was fully committed in helping families to nurture a new generation of happy and confident children.

“When families are listened to, and are provided with a place where they feel supported and can share their views and feelings, they in turn feel that they are a valuable member of our community,” she added.

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