Deputy Minister of Social Welfare updates Parliamentary Committee on planned reforms

On Tuesday, Deputy Minister of Social Welfare Marilena Evangelou (referred to as Klea Papaellina in source) briefed the Parliamentary Committee on Labor regarding forthcoming structural changes. The Ministry intends to accelerate the processing of benefit applications and implement existing legislation for persons with disabilities. A core focus of the proposed reform is the restructuring of Social Welfare Services to improve operational efficiency. The Deputy Minister emphasized that the government is prioritizing new legislative frameworks concerning child protection. This includes draft bills regulating children under the care of the Director of Social Welfare Services and a new adoption law. Additionally, the government is establishing a new regulatory framework for nursery schools, childcare centers, and child caregivers. The session also touched upon the progress of organizational adjustments within the department.