Foster parents to receive parental leave equivalent to maternity and paternity benefits starting April: Minister

Minister of Social and Family Development Dr. Aishath Shiham has announced that starting this April, individuals who foster infants will be entitled to a special leave equivalent to maternity leave.

Speaking at a press conference held on Wednesday, the Minister announced the government's decision to grant special leave to foster parents—individuals or families assuming the care of children under state guardianship—equivalent to the maternity leave provided to biological mothers.

This arrangement will take effect in April. The government decided on this measure to provide families with the opportunity to spend quality time with their children and foster closer bonds.

The Minister stated that efforts are underway to ensure every child grows up within the protection and safety of a family environment, nurtured by familial bonds. To achieve this, the Ministry revealed that a special program titled "A Family for Every Child" is being implemented. Through this initiative, family environments have been secured for 111 children who were previously under state care.

During the meeting, the Minister stated that families in need of financial assistance among those fostering children have been identified. The Minister further noted that following a screening process to identify eligible households, a monthly allowance of MVR 5,000 will be provided for each child.

Under the leadership of former Gender Minister Aishath Mohamed Didi, the administration of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih launched a specialized program for the fostering of children under state care. This initiative was implemented with significant success and played a crucial role in raising public awareness regarding the matter. However, following the change in administration, the current government has rebranded the fostering initiative, launching it under the new title, "A Family for Every Child."