General Secretariat

Girish was placed in an adolescent home where his carers found he related very positively to his peers and his educators. He learnt French quickly and attended classes in other subjects. He hoped eventually to follow an apprenticeship. ISS was asked to help the boy re-establish contact with his family and to provide a report on their circumstances and their wishes for the future care of their son. The ISS Correspondent located the family in a very rural area which was a 3 hours journey from the capital. The comprehensive social report provided explained that the family were illiterate and were facing a severe financial crisis. The father was disabled and tried to make a basic living selling goods for recycling. The mother was very anxious about Girish and had been praying for his welfare. There were 3 other children. The family had a small house but had sold all their land to pay for Girish’s travel to Europe, they could no longer grow crops to feed themselves. The father had always hoped his son would travel to a richer country either in Asia or Europe to have a chance for a better future. He met a man who told him he could help his son travel to France. The ISS partner explained that the man was part of a smuggling gang who exploited the difficult situations of poor and uneducated families. The parents explained that they love their son very much and miss him but they hope he can remain in Europe to be educated. Girish now has regular telephone contact with his parents and, although he remains in France, his future is still undecided.

After some time the mother filed for divorce and ISS was asked to help in providing a report on the living situation of Jolana in Malta to enable the Czech authorities to address the custody and visiting rights for the child. The report from ISS Malta colleagues provided information on the social and economic environment of Jolana and her paternal family. The father was supported in the care of his daughter by the grandmother and aunt. Father and daughter shared a close relationship and the child did not want to leave the father. The mother had not maintained contact with Jolana since leaving although the family confirmed they had no objection to the mother telephoning or to visits being arranged. Indeed they were unhappy that the mother did not keep in touch. The comprehensive report enabled the Czech authorities to decide that Jolana should remain with her father and extended family and they decided to ask the mother to request any visiting rights through the Courts in Malta. ISS then asked for the further assistance of the Czech partner in order to contact the mother and counsel her, pending any legal proceedings about access, on the importance of remaining in touch with her daughter even though they had to live separately.