54% Of School Children Receiving Counselling In Malta Face Family Trouble
More than half of the schoolchildren supported by The Blossom Project during the last academic year were dealing with difficulties at home, according to a new report examining the mental health and wellbeing of children in Malta.
The report found that of the 929 students who received counselling through The Malta Trust Foundation's Blossom Project, 54% were experiencing family-related challenges, including parental conflict, separation and strained family relationships.
Counsellors also highlighted the effects of financial hardship, long working hours and housing insecurity on children's wellbeing.
Almost seven in 10 students referred to the service were experiencing emotional distress, particularly anxiety, worry and difficulties managing their emotions.
These issues often appeared through disruptive behaviour, aggression or social difficulties, while some children internalised their emotions, making their struggles harder to identify.
The findings also revealed that 112 children, or just over 12%, were referred because of concerns about their safety and welfare, including suspected abuse or neglect.
The report highlighted additional challenges faced by children from diverse cultural backgrounds. Foreign nationals, refugees and asylum seekers made up 25.4% of students supported, representing 63 different nationalities.
Practitioners reported that some children experienced language barriers, isolation and racism alongside the trauma of displacement.
Despite the complexity of many cases, the report found that 51% of students showed improvement after receiving support through the programme, underlining the importance of providing counselling within schools.
The Malta Trust Foundation called for greater investment in early intervention and stronger collaboration between education, health and social care services, stressing that every child deserves to be heard, supported and given the opportunity to reach their full potential.
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