The Cabinet approved on Thursday the ‘Together with Mother and Baby’ scheme, that includes home visits by social workers to identify any difficulties and offer support, according to statements by Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Tina Pavlou.
The scheme is aimed at eligible families receiving the Guaranteed Minimum Income, as well as families with a gross household income of up to pound 22,000. It is expected to support around 1,000 new families, with an annual cost of pound 1.5 million.
Following a Council of Ministers meeting at the Presidential Palace, Pavlou described the scheme as one of the Deputy Ministry’s ‘flagship initiatives’ for 2026. ‘We are strengthening the support provided by the welfare state,’ she added.
The new, ‘Together with Mother and Baby’ scheme aims to support and empower new parents, with particular emphasis on the mother during the child’s first year of life, she said. At the same time, eligible families will receive a free package of baby equipment and essential care items worth pound 1,000 per child.
The Deputy Minister said the approach is already being implemented in other European countries. ‘We are moving from simply providing material assistance to a comprehensive approach focused on supporting and empowering the family,’ she said.
According to the Deputy Minister, the home visit by a social worker is at the heart of the scheme, with the aim of identifying difficulties, providing guidance and information, and where the mother requires additional support, facilitating access to other services.