With increasing cases involving children in Fiji, the Child Services Unit highlights its collaborative approach to addressing child welfare in line with the Child Welfare Act.

Speaking during the Fiji Red Cross Talanoa session, Acting Director Ela Tukutukulevu says the Act requires certain professionals to report cases of child abuse or related issues to the Permanent Secretary for Social Welfare.

She says although the Unit does not have in-house counselors, it partners with organizations like Empower Pacific and Medical Services Pacific to provide necessary counseling services.

Tukutukulevu says for drug-related cases, the Unit collaborates with the Ministry of Education’s Substance Abuse Team and the police.

“We don’t work in isolation, but we work with our partners, because where we work, that’s where police and the other partners come in. So in the Interagency Committees, wherever there is a social welfare office, there is an Interagency Committee.”

Tukutukulevu says these collaborations bring together various partners to address and strategize interventions for reported cases involving children.

Additionally, she says the Child Services Unit focuses on preventive efforts, raising awareness about child protection laws and issues in schools and communities whenever possible.