Church’s Cana director says stay-at-home mums should be paid

Stay-at-home mums should receive compensation, as the work they carry out is as valuable as mothers who choose to work, the director of the Cana Movement said.

Addressing the parliamentary committee on the family, Fr Charles Attard said that statistics showed that the mother remains the parent most responsible from the upbringing of a couple’s children.

“I think that women who choose to remain atmhome should be compensated. Mothers who work carry out an important job, but mothers who remain at home are sometimes treated as mothers of ‘second division’. I think this should be a priority,” Attard told MPs.

Attard went on to add that it was equally important for parents to be undergo the necessary “formation” before and after they have children.

“Parents’ formation goes beyond the Christian preparation that we give … it’s based on human values.”

He urged government to provide courses similar to those carried out by the Church group, targeting couples who choose to cohabit or couples who opt for a civil marriage.

The Cana Movement offers different courses, including preparing a couple for married life and helping them in raising children.

Fr Vincent Magri, director of the Paulo Freire Institute, spoke of the “hidden poverty” which afflicts many families and which hindered the proper upbringing of children as they remain stuck in the vicious circle.

Whilst praising childcare centres as one way of tackling poverty, Magri suggested that children who are trapped in poverty should be exposed to a different environment.

“This would break the negative images they are exposed to in their families,” he said, urging government to do more to help poor families.

Fr Magri also urged government to continue supporting NGOs: “Beyond the resources and funds, NGOs are always there for the people who need them. And such support is extremely important.”