Government in talks with YMCA to keep children’s home open

YMCA chairman Jean Paul Mifsud said at a press conference this afternoon that not only are government intent on keeping their homesless shelter service running, but is also engaging in talks to see how the YMCA could extend its services to minors who have “slipped through the net” and have no place to go.

He makes "an educated guess" of the figure being around 60 children.

In a statement, the Ministry of Education, Employment and the Family said that meetings with YMCA have been ongoing for several months to ensure the sustainability of the services offered. 

Appogg have been in talks with the YMCA to develop protocols for operations including minors that have the best interest of the children and youths involved. 

One of the six minors housed at the YMCA was moved away yesterday while another was moved earlier today, but Mifsud is confident that the four remaining children will remain in the custody of the YMCA.

YMCA is a key player in the welfare of homeless children as it is the only home with a no-rejection policy, so many of the minors housed at the YMCA home, which is specifically for minors aged 12-16, have come to the YMCA as a last resort. As the children under their care are mostly social cases, placed at the YMCA through care orders, their welfare is the responsibility of the minister for social policy.

They are often the product of abuse and violence leading to behaviours that cause rejection from other homes. Two of these teenagers were imprisoned despite their young age, Mifsud said.

Mifsud does not claim that the services being offered are perfect and talks are being held to improve upon the efficiency of the services provided. Making use of Appogg social workers is one way suggested by Mifsud.

Further meetings are to take place next week to discuss the finances of the YMCA shelter.

The government has requested to see the management accounts of the shelter and these are expected by the end of the month. 

In the statement released by government, they claim that €110,000 were allocated to YMCA and that these were given on a month by month basis to ensure continuation of the services provided. 

Yesterday, Mifsud said that the social policy ministry had fallen short of some €95,000 promised to YMCA to finance 25% of costs of homeless shelters for adults and children. Mifsud says that the board never approved of the closing down of the children’s home, despite a meeting with government in September that spelled the end of financing for the home.