Panama's Senniaf Budget Presentation Highlights Staffing Shortfalls

The budget for the National Secretariat for Children, Adolescents and Families (Senniaf) was presented to the National Assembly. During the presentation, officials revealed that Senniaf currently manages over 15,000 child protection cases with 334 staff members. The director of Senniaf, Lilibeth Cárdenas, stated that the institution requires 150 more technicians but lacks the current budget to hire them.

The budget review highlighted systemic capacity issues within the state agency responsible for child protection in Panama. Protection cases require extensive resources, including home visits, family assessments, and follow-up care. The lack of necessary funding and staff limits the institution's ability to manage its caseload.