Different approaches to family role, child protection are compatible – SocMin

According to the minister, the stiff competition between these two approaches, both in the parliament and in the general public, is partly to blame for the current inexcusable inaction regarding children’s protection.

“The first approach is that children must grow in an environment that is the most favorable to them and the second, family-centered approach is that the family is the most favorable environment not only for children, but also for all of its members. I do appreciate when these two approaches find consensus. A discussion at Social Security and Labour Ministry has shown that these two approaches can be reconciled,” he told lawmakers.

The minister called on the Seimas to support a new wording of the Framework Law on Children’s Rights Protection to be introduced before the parliament during Tuesday’s extraordinary session.

“I am inviting you to back a child-centered approach and to vote on the amendments that will be introduced today,” he said.

The law and secondary legislation aim at centralizing the children‘s rights protection system in Lithuania and setting out general guidelines for how authorities should act when they get worrying signals about a family.

Among other things, the legislative package would ban corporal punishment of children.