Abu Dhabi: A new committee has been formed in Abu Dhabi Emirate to ensure the protection of children and families, and evaluate systems related to their care.
The new committee has been created by the Department of Community Development (DCD), which made the announcement on ‘Emirati Children’s Day’.
“The dedicated committee for child and family protection has been formed as part of the DCD’s commitment and belief that children play a significant role in the society. The new initiative aims to help the DCD jointly work with relevant authorities to review the current family and child protection system, identify the required enablers to boost the effectiveness, quality and efficiency of this system and strengthen coordination between all concerned parties to make necessary recommendations related to the urgent and serious social cases,” said Dr Bushra Al Mulla, executive director of community development at the DCD.
Dr Al Mulla will head the newly established committee. She said the body will conduct comprehensive periodic evaluations of the Abu Dhabi’s family and child protection system. It will identify all measures taken to support this system, analyse current gaps, weaknesses, and challenges, and develop recommendations to address arising issues. It will also be responsible for reviewing social cases in the emirate, and for informing the community through public and media awareness campaigns.
In addition, the committee will create action plans and submit proposals focused on ways to improve the existing family and child protection frameworks. It will also prepare annual reports that include recommendations on how to improve the processes in social case management and supervision, and address the most serious, sensitive and complex situations.
The committee includes officials from 13 different stakeholders, including the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, Abu Dhabi Police, the Ministry of Interior and the Abu Dhabi Department of Health.
