KUCHING: The Department of Child Development is the best platform to promptly address child neglect and abuse issues.
Minister of Women, Family, and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the department, which became operational on Sept 1, is capable of providing quality services to the people, especially children.
These services are based on five main pillars, namely prevention, development, protection, rehabilitation, and integration into society.
To ensure efficiency and effective service, she said appointments to various positions had already been approved.
“The Children Development Department has received approval for the appointment of 169 contract positions from various service schemes and grades for the year 2023 to strengthen the structure at the headquarters level and subsequently at the district and division levels.
“This is to ensure efficiency and effective professional services can be provided for the well-being of children in the country.
“With the establishment of this department, efforts to mobilise the community established under the Child Act 2001, namely the Child Protection Team and the Child Welfare Team, as well as child protectors, will be enhanced in all 105 districts,” she said in a statement today.
Nancy, who is also the Santubong MP, said the initiative is in line with Malaysia’s MADANI framework, which aims to enhance the well-being of society, including ensuring the safety and protection of children.
She stressed that safeguarding children is the collective responsibility of all Malaysians.
In light of this, her ministry urged the community to remain vigilant in protecting children and to report any cases of child abuse or neglect to the Talian Kasih helpline at 15999 or via WhatsApp at 019-261 5999, which operates 24 hours a day.
The establishment of the Child Development Department entails the replacement of the Child Division that previously operated under the Department of Social Welfare (JKM).
