Deputy Minister Isyana: Emotionally healthy families build children's self-confidence

Jakarta — Ratu Ayu Isyana Bagoes Oka, Deputy Minister for Population and Family Development (Wamendukbangga) and Deputy Head of the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN), said that families that create an emotionally healthy environment can build children’s self-confidence. ‘Children raised in a family that is emotionally safe will be more capable of developing self-confidence, social skills, and resilience in facing various life challenges,’ she said in a formal press release in Jakarta on Friday. She noted that the warmth of the relationship between parents and children and healthy communication within the family are important factors in maintaining children’s emotional balance from an early age. She stressed that changes in the environment for children’s growth in the digital era require parents to play a more active role in accompanying them. ‘The rapid flow of information and social interaction in virtual spaces can affect a child’s emotional condition if not balanced with appropriate attention and care,’ she said. Strengthening parenting within the family is also in line with the President’s Priority Programme for human resource development, including improvements in health, meeting children’s nutrition needs, and high-quality education as the foundation for an outstanding generation towards Indonesia Emas 2045. Earlier on Thursday (5 March), the Ministry of Population and Family Development and BKKBN stressed the importance of family functioning and positive parenting in setting the Joint Decree (SKB) on Child Mental Health signed by nine ministries. Mendukbangga/Head of BKKBN Wihaji stated the commitment to implementing the SKB on Child Mental Health, which will be a pillar for families. ‘We are ready to support together with other ministries/agencies. There are 600,000 family-mentoring teams nationwide that mentor 74 million families who can be empowered to address child mental health issues,’ he said. This will be done through education on the eight family functions, which are the strength of the Ministry. He highlighted the rise in suicide cases among children aged 0-15, increasing from 604 cases in 2022 to 1,498 cases in 2024, according to data from the Indonesian National Police. Additionally, the 2024 National Survey on the Life Experiences of Children and Adolescents recorded that 62.19 percent of children with mental health problems also experienced violence in the last 12 months.