A shocking case of child abandonment in Cyprus has come to light after a father attempted to hand over his six-year-old to the Commissioner for the Rights of the Child, saying he was unable to care for the child.
Commissioner Despo Michaelidou confirmed the incident, explaining that the man appeared at her office yesterday with a sworn statement. He said he is a permanent resident of Cyprus but a foreign national, while the mother, also foreign, does not have a residence permit and has allegedly abandoned the child.
“The father stated that he cannot provide the level of care needed for a child of that age and asked that we either take custody or ensure the child is taken over by the Social Welfare Services,” Michaelidou said.
An officer from her office immediately contacted Social Welfare Services, and two officials arrived to discuss the case with the father. The Commissioner stressed that the process must be handled carefully to avoid a “sudden removal” of the child, while efforts will also be made to locate the mother to establish the circumstances of the abandonment.
“Our primary concern is that children are not separated from their families if the family can provide adequate care. From what I understand, this family was already being monitored by Social Welfare, so I will be requesting further information about what support was given and how,” she added.
Michaelidou also highlighted the difficulties faced by many foreign families in Cyprus, who due to legal status often lack access to work or social support. “If the father is alone and working, he may feel he cannot cope without help,” she noted.
She underlined that cases of child abandonment in Cyprus are on the rise and stressed the need to review whether families in crisis are receiving timely and adequate assistance from the relevant services.
Also read: Over 1,000 child pornography cases in Cyprus in five years
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel.
