Dubai: Coinciding with Emirati Children’s Day on March 15 each year, and in continuation of the efforts in qualifying child protection specialists all over the UAE, the Ministry of Community Development completed a 10-day training programme for child protection specialists in federal and local government authorities who meet the stipulated conditions in the Child Rights Law and its executive regulations.
The programme comes as part of qualifying child protection specialists and providing them with the basic necessary information to practice the profession and apply effective measures towards child protection from any danger that may threaten his physical, health and mental integrity.
Graduation ceremony
Attended by Dr Moza Al Akraf Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Community Development, the ministry organised a graduation ceremony for the members of the training programme, which was held in cooperation between the Ministry of Community Development, Judicial Institute and Community Development Authority of Dubai at the Ministry of Justice. As many as 34 specialists in several childhood entities were granted the status of “judicial officers in the field of child protection”.
Where the officials work
The specialists attended technical training on the methods of dealing with abuse cases, investigating child victims of violations. The participant specialists of the programme work at the Ministry of Community Development, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Community Development Authority, Emirates Health Services, Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, Dubai Academic Health Corporation, Dubai Police General Headquarters, and Aman Shelter for Women and Children.
The total number of specialists who were qualified in the programme, which was launched by the Ministry in 2020, has now reached 54 specialists. The programme in its first course was implemented in cooperation between the Ministry of Community Development and Judicial Institute at the Ministry of Justice and attended by 20 specialists who swore an oath to mark practicing all tasks related to child protection in the Ministry of Community Development, Community Development Authority, and Dubai Foundation for Women and Children.
About the programme
The Ministry also participated in the Child Protection Specialist Programme organised by the Early Childhood Authority in Abu Dhabi in collaboration with Georgetown University and Judicial Department in 2020 where 104 child protection specialists nationwide attended to the graduation.
Nasser Ismail, Assistant Undersecretary for Social Welfare Affairs at the Ministry of Community Development, confirmed that the training programme for child protection specialists was approved in accordance with Article 52 of the Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 concerning the child rights which stipulates that the child protection specialists who are announced by a decision of the Minister of Justice shall have the capacity of judicial officers in proving what is committed in violation of the provisions of this law as well as the regulations and decisions issued in this regard. The Ministerial Resolution No. 52 of 2018 regarding the executive regulations of the law stipulates that the child protection specialist passes the training programme approved by the Ministry.
read more
- UAE’s child protection experience a leading global example, says Sheikha Hind
- UAE: New child rights campaign to enlist students, civil society
- Safer Internet Day: Most crimes against children involve online element, UAE forum hears
- UAE: Ajman Police Chief honours ‘fire child’ for supporting officers
‘Four pillars’
Ismail referred to “four pillars” on which the Child Protection Specialists Programme is based.
The legal and legislative framework which frames the International Convention on Child Rights, reviews personal status issues, takes a comprehensive look at child protection centres; the Federal Law on the Rights of the Child and its executive regulations. The second pillar namely Judicial Seizure which is implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Justice, targets the legal nature and activities of judicial control, the provisions of legal seizure, competencies and powers of the judicial officer in the field of child protection.
The third pillar of the programme focuses on methods of dealing with victims of violence - children and adolescents, through the characteristics of child development, foundations of mental health, pathological behavioural indicators resulting from abuse in addition to the methods of treating children exposed to abuse and violence as well as the role of family members in support and treatment.
The fourth and final pillar of the Child Protection Specialists Programme reviews the technical skills of the protection specialist based on the importance of child protection, mechanisms for monitoring violence, determining the degree of risk addressed to child, social research and case management skills, methods of interrogating abused children, and the concept of intervention, treatment and protection.
Reporting channels
There are many reporting channels to enhance child protection, through specific contact numbers in various concerned authorities while the Ministry of Community Development provides reporting channels through its call centre 800623 and e-mail, cpu@mocd.gov.ae.
