Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Her Majesty Queen Rania on Sunday visited Dar Al Aman, the child safety centre affiliated with the Jordan River Foundation (JRF), to follow up on the facility’s progress and its work to protect young victims of abuse and neglect.During yesterday’s visit, Her Majesty was briefed on new methods of treatment provided by caregivers and psychological specialists, as well as on the challenges facing volunteers working with children at the centre.

Since its inception 10 years ago, the centre has offered counselling and rehabilitation services to hundreds of children.

Dar Al Aman, the first child safety centre in the Arab world, provides shelter and care for sexually, physically and emotionally abused children who are treated and evaluated before being integrated into their rehabilitated families.

To date, 280 children have benefited from programmes provided at the centre that include psychological, social, educational and medical services.

The centre currently accommodates 30 children in a home-like atmosphere with caregivers providing them with love, attention and support.

Queen Rania, who has chaired the JRF board of trustees since 1995, pioneered the first Arab initiative of its kind by establishing the Child Safety Programme in 1997. The programme’s objectives include enhancing positive child-rearing practices to protect children, as well as ways to identify, confront and eliminate different kinds of abuse through awareness, training, prevention and intervention.

Also yesterday, the Queen met with caregivers and counsellors who updated her on the different activities provided at the centre and spoke about their experiences working with the children.

Her Majesty stressed the importance of providing an environment that is supportive for children, caregivers and specialists working with young victims of abuse.

Queen Rania also toured the centre’s library and playroom, accompanied by JRF Director General Valentina Qseisieh, Dar Al Aman’s new director, Lubna Qadoumi, Samia Bishara from the Queen Rania Family and Child Centre, and JRF board members, including Saed Karaja and Minister of Social Development Hala Lattouf.

In the centre’s play room, caregivers discussed the “Picture of Hope” project which uses photography as a means to enhance the children’s therapeutic process.

At the end of the tour, Queen Rania checked on the centre’s apartments and stopped by to chat with a group of children who were playing with LEGOs.

Reiterating the importance of graduating more specialists in the field of child protection, Her Majesty thanked the centre’s staff for their efforts in educating, guiding and caring for the children.