UAE: FNC report highlights challenges faced by family guidance counsellors

The lack of regulations for specific requirements such as minimum education qualification, experience and psychological state in appointing family guidance counsellors has negatively affected their efficiency in dealing with family disputes, a member of the Federal National Council (FNC) has said.

During the FNC meeting on Tuesday, Aisha Muhammad Al Mulla, Chairperson of the FNC committee on constitutional and legislative affairs and appeals presented a report by her committee on the challenges faced in the field of family guidance and some recommendations.

The report pointed out that despite the amendment of some articles of the Personal Status Law, Federal Law No. 28 of 2005 and the laws and regulations related to harm from divorce, there was an increase in divorce cases and prolonged litigations.

Al Mulla noted that there were no unified professional license requirements for family counsellors such as a professional diploma or a bachelor's degree that is commensurate with their specialisation which is recognised by the Ministry of Education.

“The absence of such education requirements to evaluate the competence and scientific merit of family guidance counsellors has resulted in some individuals practising this profession, through social media in order to earn money, in addition to an overestimation of the value of their counselling sessions,” she said.

The report highlighted the lack of an integrated strategy for family guidance at the national level, the absence of a unified policy in providing services by family guidance centers, the difference in some family guidance work systems in the courts, and the lack of coordination between the Ministry of Justice and other concerned parties.

The committee's report also touched on the poor budgets allocated to family guidance projects and initiatives, and the lack of fixed standards to measure the quality of the work of family guidance offices and family counsellors which has led to different policies related to the training of family counsellors.

Al Mulla pointed out that the low salaries and job benefits for family mentors has led to the small number of people pursuing this profession and the resignation of some of those who were appointed as family counsellors and moved to work in other good paying agencies.

“Also, there is lack of separate premises dedicated to family guidance and no consideration for the psychological spatial environment of the litigants,” said Al Mulla adding that the findings by her committee also indicated that there was failure to activate the Ministry of Justice’s digital family guidance platform which links the federal authorities with the local authorities. This has led to the lack of connection between the federal and local courts about family guidance, and the absence of a link between the files of the families of the litigants.

Recommendations

The committee recommended that there was need to amend the law regulating personal status (Federal Law No. 28 of 2005) and the related bylaws and regulations to ensure that such legislation keeps pace with social and economic changes and develops the role of family guidance committees and to enable it to provide specialised guidance services.