UAE: 21 parents penalised for child negligence; reports of accident cases on the rise

Twenty-one parents have been penalised in Sharjah for failing to supervise their children at home, causing a spike in domestic accidents, an official said on Thursday.

Amina Al Rifai, director of Sharjah’s Child and Family Protection Center, said their 800700 helpline had seen a ‘noticeable rise’ in reports about children who had suffered accidents at home.

Among the most common incidents were kids swallowing pills, vitamins or detergents by mistake, Al Rifai said. Most of these children were between six months and four years old.

“There were also some reports about children falling from elevated spots inside the house,” the official told Khaleej Times.

When a report is filed through the hotline, the child is examined in coordination with Al Qassimi Hospital for Women, Maternity and Children.

Once specialists determine that negligence was behind the accident, a violation would be issued and parent would be asked to sign a pledge under the judicial authority granted to social workers.

The child protection centre providers parents with counselling and guidance sessions on how to keep their kids safe.

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