Children's Services BulletOverview

Ever since its existence in 1994, Agenzija Appogg offered specialized social work services to children, through the Child Protection Service. For a number of years this was the only service for children which the Agency delivered. As a result of this the Child Protection Service was serving as a general child welfare service and was dealing with a vast range of problems encountered by children, besides child protection issues. 

In the year 2000, an overhaul of the service was undertaken and has been underway since then. This measure has been an important step in ensuring that while children victims of abuse receive a more efficient and effective service from the Child Protection Services, other children in need are also offered support from different services within Appogg, thus ensuring a more holistic and integrated Child Welfare Service.

The Children's Services offers a wide range of specialized services for children who are facing some kind of crises or trauma in their life. The services aim at providing intensive and integrated services to children, so as to promote their well being, protect their rights and enhance children's potential. With the involvement and participation of children, themselves, workers in this field develop care plans, take action to promote and protect children's rights and ensure that the well being of children is always given top most priority.

The Fostering Service provides social work support to foster carers and works hand in hand with them to ensure the best possible service to children placed in their care. This service provides an alternative family setting for those children under a care order who live in a residential setting.

The social workers within the Adoption Service assess the prospective adoptive parent/s suitability and offer them guidance and support through the adoption process to ensure their preparation. Once the adoption has gone through, and a child joined  the family, the Adoption Service continues to provide the necessary support to ensure the well-being of the child.

The Looked After Children Service ensures that children living away from their family, in residential care or foster care, are regularly followed with adequate and regular care plans. The service ultimately aims at returning the children to their own family whenever possible.

The Weekend Monitoring Service supports looked after children who visit their natural family during the weekend and require monitoring during their stay at home. The visits offer security to these children, monitor their behaviour while at home and help them to build a positive relationship with their parents or guardians. The service also aims at ensuring that such children are safe during visits. The High Support Service helps children under a care order who due to their emotional and psychological needs require high support within a residential service. The service provides individualised care to these vulnerable children.

Apart from these specialized services falling under the portfolio of the Children's Services, over the years Appogg has also developed other therapeutic, community and generic services for children and families, all of which aim at supporting children and families in need.