3 'menas' sheltered by DGAIA unleash chaos in a small town in Catalonia

The Directorate General for Child and Adolescent Care (DGAIA) is once again at the center of controversy. It seems as if the child prostitution scandal uncovered this week has served as a catalyst. Now all the irregularities that show a structural failure of the youth protection system are coming to light.

The Department of Social Rights has had to intervene in the Dosrius (Barcelona) supervised minors' center due to the problems it causes in the area. Residents report continuous thefts and assaults committed by three minors of Maghrebi origin residing in the center.

Residents have been collecting signatures for days to end the insecurity unleashed by these youths with total impunity. The trigger was a knife-point robbery, in broad daylight, of three children aged between 11 and 13. It occurred on April 30, and during the robbery, one of the victims was touched inappropriately.

Residents claim that these three youths supervised by the DGAIA have an aggressive and intimidating attitude. Their presence has caused great concern among the elderly and distress among the younger ones who are afraid to go outside.

Center managed by the DGAIA

The DGAIA scandal is a complex case that includes issues of corruption, child prostitution, and supervised youths causing problems. The latter is what is happening in Dosrius, a town of 6,000 inhabitants near Mataró.

The center in question is the Mas Silvestre hostel, which the DGAIA has managed since 2017 following an agreement with the ERC mayor. This place functions as an initial reception center for unaccompanied minor immigrants. Local authorities acknowledge that the center is a constant source of problems.

Complaints from residents have forced the Department of Social Rights to transfer the problematic minors to other centers. The department reports that there is currently no problematic situation at the Dosrius hostel. They have also announced that they will reduce the number of places and strengthen the staff of monitors to keep the youths better controlled.

In the eye of the storm

The DGAIA is a public body responsible for the guardianship of immigrant or vulnerable youths. However, it doesn't directly manage the service but subcontracts it to third-sector entities. The Audit Office warned of serious irregularities in the awarding of these services between 2016 and 2020.

The DGAIA, under ERC control, irregularly awarded contracts to companies filled with politicians from this same party. Additionally, aid was granted to youths who did not meet the requirements. A lack of control over these youths has also been evidenced, as shown by the child prostitution network scandal.

The case of these three unaccompanied minors also shows the problems that some of these centers generate in the area. Problems that have been reported for some time but had been concealed until now, under the pretext of not fueling racism and the far-right.