A Parent Who Stays At Home Is Not Stopping Work But Investing In A Kid’s Future, Says Archbishop

Archbishop Charles Scicluna has called for stronger support for families, arguing that parents who choose to stay at home to care for their children should be recognised as making an important investment in society's future.

Speaking at the State of the Nation conference, Scicluna said children should never be regarded as a burden but as a gift and a blessing.

He stressed that families should feel encouraged and supported when deciding to have children, particularly at a time when Malta is facing an alarmingly low birth rate.

The Archbishop said childcare services were important but insisted that the country should also create conditions that allow more parents to remain with their children during the crucial early years of life. He called for a serious national discussion on parental leave as part of wider family-friendly policies.

Scicluna said parenting itself deserved greater recognition, adding that a parent who stays at home to care for a child is not "stopping work" but investing in that child's future and, ultimately, in the future of society.

He linked stronger support for families to the wider challenge of preserving Malta's identity, arguing that the country's heritage could only be passed on if there was a new generation to inherit it.

The Archbishop also said prosperity should never become an end in itself, warning that economic success must be accompanied by responsibility.

He urged policymakers to look beyond short term economic gains and instead focus on protecting families, supporting vulnerable people and safeguarding the country's future for generations to come.

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