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The recent case of a 22-month-old child in Limassol hospitalized with burns and signs of severe neglect has once again exposed serious flaws in Cyprus’ Social Welfare Services, a system meant to protect vulnerable children but increasingly criticized as unfit for purpose.
According to Kathimerini's Apostolos Kouroupakis, this isn’t a one-off. Three more children in the same household were already under social services supervision. For many who work in the system or have long warned about it, this tragic case was just another sign of deep-rooted dysfunction.
Unqualified staff doing protected jobs
At the heart of the issue is a lack of properly trained and certified personnel. According to Cyprus law, roles such as psychologists and social workers are legally protected and require specific qualifications and registration with professional councils. But the current staffing structure at the Social Welfare Services doesn’t respect these requirements.
Put simply, people without the proper qualifications are being allowed to handle sensitive cases, including those involving abused children and trauma victims. This, experts say, is not just bad policy; it’s illegal.
“This isn’t a technical issue; it’s about public safety and respect for human life,” one official told K.
Audit warnings ignored and whistleblowers punished
The problem is well known. An Internal Audit Unit report from early 2024 highlighted these exact concerns. The result? The officer who compiled the report was quietly transferred. No corrective action. No reform.
Professional bodies like the Psychologists and Social Workers Registration Councils, as well as the Equality Union, have sent repeated letters and raised formal complaints, warning that untrained staff handling protected roles puts lives at risk. None of those warnings have received a response from the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, which oversees the department.
Even the Speaker of the House, Annita Demetriou, has acknowledged the issue during a parliamentary meeting, expressing concern over what has been described as an “arbitrary and dangerous” approach to public welfare.
Bureaucratic jargon, real-world consequences
Public officials continue to defend the system using buzzwords like “service plans” and “multidisciplinary teams.” But critics say this is just smoke and mirrors, used to cover up the illegal promotion of overworked, underqualified staff.
“This obsession with bureaucratic terms shows a dangerous disconnect from reality,” said Andri Matthaiou, president of the Equality Union. “What we’re dealing with is real human lives, especially children who rely on the state for protection.”
In fact, as far back as 2019, the Cyprus Psychologists Association had warned that the lack of structured assessments in child neglect investigations was leading to repeat abuse, botched evaluations, and ultimately, preventable tragedies.
“It’s time to face the truth”
The current situation, experts argue, is unsustainable. Laws are being bypassed. Children are being hurt. And whistleblowers and professionals who raise red flags are being ignored or pushed aside.
The message is clear: this isn’t about “service plans” on paper. It’s about whether Cyprus is willing to enforce its own laws, listen to its own experts, and protect its most vulnerable citizens before another child suffers or dies.
