Dosrius: Ward minors spark complaints from 6,000 residents

Three ward minors push 6,000 Dosrius residents to the limit

In broad daylight in Dosrius (Barcelona), three children aged 11 to 13 were attacked with a knife. One aggressor reportedly groped a victim, according to accounts of the incident. The perpetrators were three minors under the guardianship of the Generalitat de Cataluña (Catalan government) housed at Mas Silvestre shelter, a facility managed by DGAIA since 2017. The municipality has around 6,000 inhabitants. Three youths were enough to escalate the issue from the center's doorstep to the regional ministry.

The incident triggered a massive petition drive and forced intervention by the Department of Social Rights, which acknowledged the center is a "constant source of problems." The ministry announced a reduction in capacity and increased staffing, claiming that after transferring the three minors, there is "no problematic situation" at the shelter. This official stance clashes with years of resident complaints, which, according to published reports, were shelved for ideological reasons.

What is DGAIA and what did the Audit Office investigate?

The Directorate General for Child and Adolescent Attention (DGAIA) is the Generalitat body responsible for protecting vulnerable minors, including unaccompanied ones. Reports indicate it operates under ERC political control and has a history of scandals.

The Sindicatura de Cuentas (Catalan Audit Office) identified irregularities for the 2016-2020 period: opaque contract awards to entities linked to ERC members, aid distributed to young people who didn't meet requirements, and significant lack of oversight over ward minors. These findings are joined by a recently exposed child prostitution network, according to the same sources. These are audit report findings and public accusations, not final convictions.

Why moving the minors doesn't solve the problem

Transferring three conflict-prone residents from one center to another changes the conflict's location, not its nature. This argument dominates post-case analysis: if the care model doesn't change, the next receiving municipality will face similar complaints within months. Dosrius is presented as the tip of an iceberg with many centers under suspicion.

Administratively, the ministry reduced capacity—fewer users per center, less friction—and boosted staff, measures addressing symptoms. The unanswered question remains how many system centers have similar ratios and how many resident complaints never even reached formal filing.

Petitions, passivity, and debate over who should intervene

The petition drive polarized discussion. One view holds that a town of 6,000 shouldn't need written requests to guarantee street safety. Another warns that alternatives to petitions lead to direct conflict, ending with private citizens facing legal consequences; some cite convictions of homeowners defending against burglaries to illustrate this imbalance.

A third group focuses on political responsibility, arguing DGAIA has operated without effective control for years, distributing aid and contracts without verifiable criteria, and solutions won't arrive while the agency remains under the same oversight. A recurring criticism hangs over the case: that resident complaints were shelved for years under the guise of not fueling racism.

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The Audit Office report covers four full fiscal years, 2016 to 2020: opaque contracts, unverified aid distribution, and absent supervision. Three minors sufficed to bring a town of 6,000 residents' concerns directly to the regional ministry.