Establishing Children's Development Dept in stages - minister

 

The establishment of a Children’s Development Department will be done in stages and according to the sum of allocations received.

Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri said details of its establishment will also be discussed with the Public Service Department and Finance Ministry.

She said her ministry intends to set up the department this year but will have to plan it according to allocations received as estimates show it will cost a huge sum.

“We can’t use all of our budget allocations either, but what is important is that we now have the approval and we can start planning and make proposals,” she told reporters at a Wanita Bangkit@KPWKM event in Kuala Lumpur today.

When tabling Budget 2023 yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the Women's Ministry will establish a Child Development Department under the purview of the Social Welfare Department to provide more comprehensive support services to children.

Among the reasons for the high cost of setting up the department was the hiring of more staff as the current workforce assumes many responsibilities.

“The recruitment of more workers is to ensure tasks carried out are more relevant and related...

“At the same time we have also issued new guidelines to officers so that they are more efficient in carrying out their duties and comply with laws and standard operating procedures (SOP),” Nancy said.

On the RM8 million allocated for one-stop social support centres as early intervention sites for mental health and domestic violence, the ministry said the allocation was considered reasonable to improve existing equipment and facilities.

Meanwhile, at the event, Nancy said 16,950 women have benefited from MyKasih Kapital’s assistance and have run businesses since it was launched in 2021.

- Bernama