Announcement: The First Measures in Tightening Child Protection

Viktor Orban had previously indicated that the government will implement more restrictions in child protection institutions.

"The first tightening is here: psychological screening will be required for managers of children's homes," Interior Ministry State Secretary Bence Retvari wrote in his Facebook post, explaining:

As Prime Minister Viktor Orban had already announced, the government will implement a number of new restrictions regarding child protection institutions to ensure that children suffer no harm anywhere, including within the walls of the institutions.

Following Wednesday's cabinet meeting, the first tightening is already in place: the appointment and employment of child protection institution heads and their deputies will be contingent on a rigorous psychological aptitude test.

Testing will include an assessment of a full range of leadership and personality competencies, as well as screening for sexual deviancy and addictions in all children's home directors and deputies. The government decree will be published in Hungary's Official Gazette soon and will enter into force immediately, enabling the testing to start as soon as possible.

The state secretary pointed out that

the examinations will now be required not only prior to new appointments, but also for current institution managers.

The psychological aptitude test is to be carried out based on the protocol approved by the Interior Minister Sandor Pinter, and will be reviewed every two years for all institution heads and deputies. The minister of the interior also defines the leadership competencies expected of child protection institution directors, which will also be assessed as part of the psychological aptitude test to be introduced.

The examination will extend to an assessment of, for example, general psychological state, emotion and temperament control, psychological durability, stress coping ability, sense of responsibility, pathological addictions (ie gambling, alcohol and drug abuse), suicidal tendencies and sexual deviance.

The state secretary added:

True to Viktor Orban's recent announcement, the PM has already ordered a thorough investigation of all children's homes, and the second package of child protection laws is also in the works.

the punishment for pedophile crimes will be increased. There will be no mercy nor clemency for pedophiles!

At its meeting on Wednesday, the cabinet heard a partial report on the Bicske children's home case in which Janos V., who proceeded to molest children, was appointed director of the children's home by the Budapest municipality despite knowing that he was homosexual and had sexually aberrant proclivities, the state secretary concluded his Facebook post.

Cover image source: Bence Retvari's Facebook page