“I don’t believe the children can express their will freely in these walls.”- Public Defender Nino Lomjaria.
“I don’t believe the children can express their will freely in these walls, in this space and in the conditions of those caregivers they had, so it is very important that these children be transferred to alternative care,” Public Defender Nino Lomjaria told reporters before entering the Ninotsminda boarding school today, June 28.
Upon entering the orphanage, Lomjaria is first expected to meet with the head of the institution, Bishop Iakob of Bodbe.
“I expect we will be able to get acquainted with the current processes and also the infrastructural condition. I came here with several staff members who work in the field of children’s rights, and we also have a child psychologist to talk to if the children are willing. We are going to talk to them. First we will have a meeting with the management of the boarding house, Reverend Jacob, and then we are also going to see what processes are going on in relation to the needs assessment of the children and what the social workers are doing. I know that several children are being transferred to alternative care and it is important that decisions are made very soon regarding the children remaining in the boarding school.
“Some of the violent caregivers already left the institution, but I believe that in these walls, in this space and in the presence of those educators, the children cannot express their will freely, so it is very important that these children be transferred to alternative care. I think there is still some kind of pressure on them in the presence of the educators with whom they have been living for years, and who do not want these children to leave these walls. Therefore, it is very important to talk to them. Of course, I expect that children may not be able to speak freely, but if we see the need, we will talk again, or psychologists and specialists will still see clearly what the situation is,” Lomjaria said.
Image source: Netgazeti
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