The so-called Kamilka Act comes into force. The set of regulations was developed after the death of the beaten Kamil from Częstochowa. The aim is to increase the safety and protection of the youngest, as well as to quickly and effectively respond to their harm.
The so-called Kamilka Act, which is supposed to provide children with greater safety, has come into effect. – “Kamilk's Act” talks about prevention, that is, we do not want violence against children to occur at all, we want each of us to be sensitive, and we want everyone to react as quickly as possible when they see any disturbing risk factors that a child may be harmed – explains Monika Horna-Cieślak, the Ombudsman for Children's Rights.
By August 15, all institutions dealing in any way with children were required to implement child protection standards.
– This is a step-by-step instruction on how a director should proceed in the event of a child abuse incident, there are also rules on protecting the image of minors, and there are also rules on how to act safely on the Internet – says Małgorzata Moskwa-Wodnicka, vice-president of Łódź.
Aggression towards children has not decreased
Although human sensitivity to violence has increased, aggression towards children has not decreased. – I really hope that every adult has heard how to behave towards children, what boundaries should not be crossed and what behaviors they may observe in their charges are signals that something disturbing is happening – says Katarzyna Nowakowska, Deputy Minister of Family, Labor and Social Policy.
The so-called Kamilka Act is intended to help detect violence against children earlier and prevent it as early as possible. – The creation of this itself is perhaps a small beginning, or making everyone aware that everyone should have it and everyone should watch it is a good beginning – assesses Jolanta Zmarzlik from the Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę Foundation.
The Łódź city council has created a special team that has helped all local institutions implement the new regulations. – It is also the courage that together with the city authorities, with the help of this act, we will have increased vigilance, and above all, there will be no such sense of fear as to how to react in the case when this harm is also in the family home – emphasizes Małgorzata Moskwa-Wodnicka.
The first anniversary of the death of the beaten Kamil. A march took place in Częstochowa, the law is already in forceMichalina Czepita/Fakty po Południe TVN24
The Act established a special team
The act also introduced a special team to investigate every case of fatal violence against a child. Poland is the first country in Central and Eastern Europe where such a team will operate. – It will allow us to find those elements of the system that may not have worked in a given case so that we can tighten and change this system through legislation and recommendations – emphasizes the deputy minister of family, labor and social policy.
All this in order to reduce, and preferably eliminate, cases of violence against children, such as the one in the Kadzidło commune, where a 13-year-old boy, with mental and motor disabilities and bedsores, weighed about 10 kilograms.
The child was starved and neglected, also in terms of hygiene. Violence is not only physical aggression. Neglect is a very serious form of violence, it has consequences for the child's entire life. This is a child who has not experienced proper care and then is unable to use care themselves, and is unable to provide care for their children – explains Jolanta Zmarzlik.
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A 13-year-old from the Kadzidło Commune is in hospital in serious condition, and the mother has been charged with abuse with particular cruelty. She faces up to 10 years in prison. – Children are in contact with adults in a position of inferiority, in a position of dependence. A child will not defend itself in contact with a strong adult, so we must constantly speak out about it, that children must be treated seriously, with respect, and what I always say: children are there to be loved – emphasizes the Ombudsman for Children.
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