(TAP) - Minister of Family, Women, Childhood and the Elderly Amal Belhaj Moussa said that the department is considering setting up an integrated centre for teenagers in difficult situations. The setting up of this centre has become a necessity given the rising number of teenagers on full board in integrated youth and children's centres (58% of the total number of boarders), she told the media on the fringes of a seminar on children without support. This two-day seminar, held on June 6-7 in Tunis under the theme: "For a new support and integration vision," will help consider devising a reform vision that sheds light on the shortcomings of integrated centres and ways to overcome them in the best interests of the child, she pointed out. The number of children enjoying the services of the integrated children's centres run by the ministry stands at 2,057, placed in 22 centres in 17 governorates, under three formulas (full board, natural environment and foster care). Only 287 children are in foster care, which is a "very low" number, the minister added, indicating that her ministry consider offering new incentives to improve the conditions of foster care so as to integrate as many children as possible into the family as it represents the ideal environment for the child. Several experts, including directors of integrated centres and psychologists, are taking part in this meeting in a bid to draw up recommendations for these centres' good governance.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse