In an event that recalls the worst episodes of the National Service for Minors (Sename), The counter revealed that millionaire public funds intended to cover the basic needs of violated childhoods have been misused by the officials of the Specialized Protection Service for Children and Adolescence (Better Childhood), an entity that in 2021 replaced the questioned Sename.
Today, with an internal audit at the national level that is still in progress, administrative summaries in progress and complaints to the Prosecutor’s Office, the Undersecretary of Children, Verónica Silva, recognizes the existence of serious control problems in the management of resources, particularly with the use of “gift cards”, one of the measures that seek to leave behind the stigma of Sename and bureaucratic public purchases.
“There is a misuse of an instrument that is available and that is what is ‘misused’. One cannot say that they are stealing here because that is under investigation, but there is a control problem with the mechanism, with this tool that is the gift cards,” Undersecretary Silva told this medium.
It is worth mentioning that the Arica regional division of Mejor Niñez received the alert from a salesperson at a retail store, who reported the frequent presence of a woman who used the service’s gift cards to purchase teenage clothing, especially sports clothing, and then returned the next day to exchange said products for items for personal use and – according to the complaint – “not for young beneficiaries of the program.”
Along with highlighting the work of the current deputy national director of Mejor Niñez, Victoria Becerra, who recently declared that her intention is to “clarify every last peso of what was purchased,” the head of the undersecretary dependent on the Ministry of Social Development and Familia explained that, after identifying these problems, it was decided to expand the audit to other regions, including the Metropolitan Region, where possible acts constituting crimes were also detected.
“Institutionally there has been a neglect in the control systems”
“Immediate measures have been taken, such as removing gift cards from regional offices to carry out a complete accounting of funds and establish stricter control over their use. This has not affected the provision of necessary services and goods for children,” said the Undersecretary of Children.
Verónica Silva, who worked for the Ministry of Planning and the Social Solidarity and Investment Fund between 1998 and 2009, recognized that the new institutionality of the Better Childhood Service faces an additional challenge, due to the discredit inherited from the old Sename. “The change has been radical and has had the best intention and direction, but it has had difficulties in its implementation. Despite this, we are working hard to improve processes and ensure that resources adequately reach the children,” she stated.
Silva also highlighted the importance of constant supervision and exhaustive control in the use of public resources. “The main problem is people who misuse these instruments, but institutionally there has been a neglect in the control systems. The “gift card” is a good tool if used correctly and regulated properly,” he insisted.
The undersecretary stressed that, despite criticism, such as that of the Ombudsman for Children, which points to “abandonment” by the state service, work is being done to improve the situation. “We are implementing a more detailed and demanding user manual for gift cards,” she declared, adding that in any case they especially value the role of the Ombudsman for Children and the Judiciary in pointing out the difficulties. “It seems healthy to us for a system as complex and relevant as specialized protection,” she mentioned.
“The word ‘abandonment’ must be handled very carefully”
Last week, the “National Report on Visits to Residential Centers of the National Service for Specialized Protection of Children and Adolescents”, prepared by the Judiciary, which covered the second half of 2023 and which inspected 275 of 290 institutions, showed that About 37% of State-administered residences are “overcrowded,” but if the residences that are fully occupied are added to this figure, “the percentage approaches 57%.”
Finally, the Undersecretary of Children highlighted the efforts to ensure probity and transparency in the use of resources. “We are doing our part very well, supporting Mejor Niñez and making sure that children have the services they need. The word ‘abandonment’ must be handled very carefully, because it does not reflect the reality of a system that has resources and where there are many people working,” she concluded.
The scandal has generated a strong reaction in public opinion, recalling past episodes that still weigh on the child protection system in Chile. “The abuses suffered by Sename boys and girls is a particularly painful chapter in our recent history,” said President Gabriel Boric during his last Public Account. On June 1, the President announced the creation of a truth, justice and reparation commission for victims of the former National Minors Service.
