The Office of the Children’s Commissioner reiterated its calls for further training for childcare workers and periodic spot checks in the wake of reports of maltreatment at childcare centres.
Education Minister Evarist Bartolo revealed last week that 60 such cases had been reported to the authorities over the past year. None of the reports were related to cases of maltreatment by the children’s own parents, which are handled separately by Appoġġ.
In a statement, the Office of the Children’s Commissioner said it was crucial that child day-care centres provide high-quality care.
The commissioner’s office said it had been working in close contact with the responsible authorities to update the National Standards on Child Day Care, guided by the principle that centres should provide child-centred care that protects children from harm and promotes their social, emotional and cognitive development.
It reiterated its recommendations for further in-service training for childcare workers, to reinforce their expertise and be kept up to date with new research and innovative practices.
This training, the commissioner’s office said, could be supported by mentoring, to enable childcare workers...