Generalitat sacks DGAIA after scandals in the care of minors

The scandal involving the 12-year-old girl under guardianship who was a victim of a pedophile network has triggered the DGAIA corruption crisis. After months of silence and inaction in the face of evidence, Govern had no choice but to act.

Councilor Mònica Martínez Bravo reported on Monday at a press conference about the changes for a "comprehensive transformation" of DGAIA. This is Govern's attempt to seize the initiative from the opposition and prevent this issue from continuing to erode them. Meanwhile, while waiting to learn the real progress of the changes, the first measures confirm the scale of the scandal, which mainly implicates ERC.

changes in DGAIA

Govern will create two external units to oversee DGAIA and will remove its authority to contract new places and grant aid. The foster care services will continue to be managed by the Directorate. This will be divided between an agency focused on prevention and another responsible for the protection of children under guardianship.

The councilor announced the internalization of aid, which was one of the mechanisms used by organizations to profit. However, she keeps other services such as foster care outsourced. 

Nevertheless, the councilor acknowledged an excess of outsourcing of services that ended up favoring corruption. She also admitted shortcomings in the functioning of the Directorate, insisting on the need to audit management. Although for now it seems that Govern can't go further, due to the inability to assume the internalization of the foster care service.

In any case, Martínez did announce a plan to incorporate 300 new professionals by 2027 and a new management model with more technology, planning, and coordination.

The benefits managed by DGAIA will be transferred to the Directorate General of Social Benefits, and the contracting of places to the Directorate General of Service Provision. Govern will also create the Office of Management Control. It will serve to monitor conflicts of interest, possible lack of transparency, and to review the code of ethics and incompatibility.

The body will also launch an audit to monitor third sector organizations. With these changes, Govern acknowledges the pit of corruption into which DGAIA turned and the business from which ERC and social organizations profited. 

skepticism about the changes

Govern has announced forceful measures to change DGAIA from top to bottom. However, the delay in the changes and their leniency with ERC continue to convey skepticism about whether a real transformation will take place.

The councilor herself repeated at the press conference some of ERC's excuses, such as the increase in children under guardianship. She again praised the changes introduced in the Directorate during Pere Aragonès's Govern. Despite the announced changes, PSC still seems to want to protect its main partner from the scandal.

PSC is aware that DGAIA could end up being for Esquerra what the 3% was for CiU. On one hand, they need to show determination in the changes, but on the other, they are working to "save" their partner. Hence their insistence on addressing the reform of the system focused on what can be improved but "without seeking culprits."

Comuns have also emphasized the changes, avoiding turning the scandal into a "pim, pam, pum." The three parties have promoted an investigation committee in Parliament, which the opposition considers a "smokescreen." 

Govern trusts that they will close the crisis with the reform of DGAIA. However, the opposition will not forget it so easily.