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Ministry to establish children’s welfare centers in regencies
The establishment of the centers is a strong message suggesting that the state would protect the welfare of Indonesian children.
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The so-called Integrative Children Social Welfare Service Centers (PLKSAI) are to be established in five regencies of East Java, with a focus on providing services to handle children’s welfare, as well as preventing the risk of child abuse. (Shutterstock/Vorobyeva)
The Social Affairs Ministry plans to establish children’s welfare centers in 111 regencies in Indonesia.
The so-called Integrative Children Social Welfare Service Centers (PLKSAI) are to be established in five regencies of East Java, with a focus on providing services for handling children’s welfare, as well as preventing child abuse.
According to the child protection specialist of UNICEF's Surabaya branch, Naning Pudji Julianingsih, the establishment of the centers is a strong message suggesting that the state would protect the welfare of Indonesian children.
“PLKSAI have been established in Tulungagung, Surakarta, Klaten, Gowa and Makassar,” Naning said.
To further the program, Yayasan Setara Semarang and the social services agency of East Java held academic workshops in Salatiga, East Java, from June 26 to 28. The workshops were expected to strengthen the services and promote the continuity of PLKSAI in Surakarta and Klaten, which have been conducting the model program since 2016.
Hundreds of children have been tended to in Surakarta and Klaten over the last three years, with services including education, health, legal identity, social rehabilitation and alternative parenting, among others.
However, PLKSAI still face several challenges, according to Naning, like service quality. She added that relevant policies have to be further assessed in order to achieve the best impact.
“Working groups on the subdistrict level are needed in the future so we can handle lower level cases as well,” said the head of the social rehabilitation division or the East Java Social Agency, Soesmiasih Prawiro. (dmy)
