Foster families to get state financial support

The government has decided to provide financial assistance to families who wish to foster children under the custody of the state.

The opportunity to temporarily foster children in state custody is now open.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development has decided to hand over the children under state care to foster parents for a period of at least two years.

The Ministry's Deputy Minister Aiminath Namza told Atoll Times on Tuesday that the opportunity to foster children will be opened in the Male area as a first step.

"Our goal is to start the program in the Male area before the end of the first 100 days of the government. If you want to foster children from outside the Male area, you can register now," Namza said.

Foster families will also have the opportunity to make the children’s stay with them permanent through temporary fostering, she said.

Namza said the ministry would closely monitor the children’s condition.

Noting that children of different ages are under the care of the state, Namza said she wants to give not only the youngest children but also teenagers the opportunity to live with families and encourages them to be fostered.

"We are opening the opportunity to foster children under the age of 18. There are even the youngest children in the custody of the state. 11-year-olds. 11-12-year-olds. Many people want to foster the youngest children. But we encourage families to take older children into their families,” Namza said.

The opportunity was opened to families who wanted to foster their children. The ministry also aims to improve the situation of the children and provide them with the opportunity to live with their own families.