Dubai: A team of specialised nannies will look after infants and children of female prisoners in Dubai Central Jail as part of a project to improve living condition for children behind bars.

Under certain circumstances, jailed mothers are allowed to keep their children but now mothers leave their children in the nursery and not inside the cell.

Brigadier Ali Al Shamali, director of the Correctional and Punitive Establishments Department at Dubai Police, said they signed an agreement with a foreign mission to bring specialised nannies to look after 37 children inside the jail.

“We signed an agreement to bring professional nannies to take care of the children. The children stay with their mothers from 8am to 4pm, and the nannies take care of children after 4pm,” Brigadier Al Shamali said.

At the moment, Dubai police women officers look after the children.

“We have newborn babies and we want them to have better condition and provide best services for them by bringing specialised nannies,” he added.

The children receive education inside the nursery to develop their skills and they are isolated from inmates.

The police official said they are ready to send children to relatives or other family members even outside the UAE.

“We try to contact relatives of the children to take their custody and ready to pay for their tickets to send them to their home countries and live with his relatives as we know it is not good for a child to stay in a prison,” Brig Al Shamali added.

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