The Ministry of Social and Family Development has introduced the "A Family for Every Child" program, aimed at ensuring that children in state custody find secure and nurturing homes.
Social and Family Development Ministry's Deputy Minister Aminath Namza said 164 children are currently in state custody. She emphasized the importance of raising children in a loving and safe family environment in order to shape their future.
The ministry's Senior Legal Counselor Aishath Ifadha said children are taken into state custody with the aim of returning the children to their families after addressing concerns. However, the circumstances of some families do not facilitate their reintegration into the families, and the children from such families therefore remain in state custody for long periods. The initiative seeks to facilitate the transfer of custody from the state to families willing to provide long-term or permanent care, she said.
According to Ifadha, if a family wishes to foster a child temporarily, the child will be placed with the family for two years. During this period, efforts will be made to reunite the child with their birth family. If this is not possible, the foster family may be granted the opportunity to provide permanent care.
Under the program's policies for fostering children, the ministry will involve the court in the custody transfer process, and regularly check-ups on the child's well-being even after placement. A structured schedule for children to meet their birth families will be established, and legal action may be taken if unscheduled visits occur. In cases where the birth family desires to take the child back, the court will prioritize the child's best interests in its decision-making.
Deputy Minister Namza said the ministry would conduct information sessions regarding the program in Male', Villimale' and Hulhumale'.
