Minister faces scrutiny over U-turn on autism centre funding

Inclusion Minister Julia Farrugia is under mounting pressure to explain her abrupt reversal on the compliance status of a non-governmental organisation providing services to people with autism, despite officials describing serious legal and administrative shortcomings.

Earlier this month, Minister Farrugia announced that the Malta Autism Centre (MAC) in Mosta would no longer receive public funding, citing years of unaddressed compliance failures. The centre, which supports children and young people on the autism spectrum, operates under a Public Social Partnership (PSP) – a funding framework through which the government outsources social services to NGOs.

In her initial statement, Farrugia accused the MAC of failing to meet several statutory obligations.

Among them were the absence of a valid operating licence from the Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education (DQSE), deficiencies in staff clearance under the Protection of Minors Act (POMA), and missing health and safety documentation. The minister said these breaches had persisted despite repeated warnings, arguing they undermined the welfare of the centre’s clients.

In retaliation, the MAC informed parents it would raise service fees to offset the loss of government funding, a move that triggered strong protests and lobbying from families of autistic children.

Under pressure and within 48 hours, Minister Farrugia reversed course, announcing a temporary agreement to reinstate funding on the condition that the centre resolve outstanding compliance issues by year-end.

Asked by The Shift whether those same issues remain unresolved, Farrugia declined to comment or confirm whether the centre currently holds a valid DQSE licence, which is a legal prerequisite for operation.

MAC co-director Yanika Attard claimed when asked by The Shift that the organisation was fully compliant and described the dispute as a “misunderstanding” that had since been settled, but did not offer any proof of a renewed DSQE licence.

Her co-director and partner, Melvin Attard, did not respond to requests on whether he has been cleared to work with children under the POMA rules, a necessary requirement to operate such a facility. The POMA rules establish a register of persons (“the Register”) who have been convicted of specified offences (“scheduled offences”) against minors or whom a court considers to pose a threat to minors’ welfare. The Register is not publicly accessible and access is limited to entities that provide services or activities involving minors (education, care, welfare, etc.) and only upon application to the court. Institutions such as the MAC need POMA clearance for all their staff.

The MAC episode has renewed debate about the government’s growing reliance on public-private social partnerships, through which millions of euro are channeled annually to NGOs delivering essential services.

The National Audit Office has repeatedly warned that oversight of these arrangements remains inconsistent, raising concerns about accountability, service standards, and value for money.