Credit: MMTP
On Tuesday 17 September 2024, Luxembourg's Minister for Mobility and Public Works, Yuriko Backes, and the Minister of Education, Children and Youth, Claude Meisch, together with the heads of the Public Building Administration and the Fondation Pro Familia, officially inaugurated the "Haus Konterbont" day and night childcare centres in Dudelange.
As respective ministries confirmed that the building, with a surface area of 1,700 m² and a length of 50 m on four floors, currently houses sixteen children aged four to eighteen who have suffered neglect or abuse. Each care centre is an autonomous unit and has six rooms for the children, i.e. a total of twelve rooms distributed between the two centres.
Under the management of the Fondation Pro Familia, the care centres have been designed to support the well-being of children in distress, by offering them psycho-socio-pedagogical support adapted to their specific needs.
The particularity of this pilot project, according to the authorities, lies in the use of beech wood from the Grünewald forest, supplied by the Nature and Forest Agency for the construction of most of the living spaces, bedrooms and offices. In the interest of favouring renewable energy, the roof is planted with vegetation and equipped with photovoltaic panels.
Work on this project began in July 2018 and the building was commissioned in February 2023. The first group of children arrived in March 2023.
Mobility Minister Yuricko Backes thanked all the stakeholders who contributed to the realisation of this project, which "embodies our collective commitment to protect the most vulnerable children by offering them a space where they can feel safe". She continued: "For some, this place is a temporary refuge, while for others, it represents a real home, a place of comfort that will accompany them in their personal development. This project concretely illustrates the importance of investing in childcare facilities to offer each child a better future."
Education Minister Claude Meisch stated: "Today, we are not simply creating a reception structure, we are opening a space dedicated to the protection, safety and well-being of children. Child protection is at the heart of our policy. Our role, as a ministry, is to ensure that every child, whatever the ordeals they have been through, finds a place here where they are safe, respected and listened to."
Dudelange Mayor Dan Bianchalana added: "With the 'Haus Konterbont' project, Dudelange remains true to its values and its long-standing commitment: we are concerned about the well-being of all generations, especially that of the youngest. The City of Dudelange provides an ideal setting for this project where the development and protection of the younger generations are among the absolute priorities."
"Since 1988, the Fondation Pro Familia and its employees have been tirelessly committed to families and especially children in distress. The new reception center offers our group of children a caring welcome, supporting their well-being," said Michèle Kayser, President of the Fondation Pro Familia during her speech. "With the support of the artist Raphaël Gindt, a colourful and warm atmosphere has also been created around the site. We are committed to doing everything possible to ensure that these children have supportive relational experiences and many moments of shared joy."
Pierette Meisch, Director of the Fondation Pro Famila, concluded: "Our reception structure 'Haus Konterbont' is aimed at children who, due to family difficulties, do not have the opportunity to live in their original environment. We are committed to ensuring that these children have the opportunity to have supportive emotional experiences with professionals on whom they can count, in whom they can trust and who will commit to them. Our facility is not only a place of protection, health promotion, but also of play, learning and creativity."
(Photo copyright: MMTP)
