One-sided picture of children in residential homes

Failing to show the other side to the sad and lonely picture that is often painted of children in residential homes will only feed the wrong idea. Andrew Azzopardi, director of the Church’s Commission for Children’s Homes, spoke to Sarah Carabott.

Children in residential homes are not pitiful and lonely, but if the authorities want more foster family placements, the Church should be allowed to help, the director of the Church’s Commission for Children’s Homes is insisting.

“One of the things that irks me is the rhetoric about children in care – they are usually described as pitiful, sad and lonely in theatrical works, during electoral campaigns or by the media,” Andrew Azzopardi told this newspaper.

“Children in residential homes are also happy, enthusiastic and have aspirations and when we fail to show this other side, we fuel the stigma.”

Mr Azzopardi noted that the homes run by the Commission did not provide institutional care, where children were one of many. There were hardly any two children with the same care plan because even siblings had different needs.

And he will keep on repeating this until he hammers it home.

Mr Azzopardi was appointed director of the Commission...