– laments Ann Green

CHILD Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA) Director, Ann Green, believes there is need for more programmes to support children as too many still continue to fall through the “cracks” in the system.

Green offered her views while speaking at a Child Protection Week event held recently. Child Protection Week was observed under the theme “Supporting Families to Prevent Child Abuse through Education and Community Involvement”.

“It is not a case where we want a blame game, I tell people, if there is a blame game for what is happening to children then there is enough blame that could go all around, three times, so this is not a blame game when things happen. It’s a wakeup call for us to become more aware and look at the more programmes to stop children from falling through the cracks in the system,” Green explained
A child being killed in an accident, placed in a foster home, engages in child labour, being a victim of abuse or rape, all contributes to the them falling through the cracks in the system which means society has failed them, Green contended.

She said at the moment, the agency through the Ministry of Social Protection is working to have communities more involved in children’s welfare and upbringing.

According to Green, every single case that is reported to the agency which affects the life of one child is looked at carefully to see how best systems can be put in place to prevent other children from getting into similar situations.

“We always have the challenges of engaging communities and in recent times, it became much harder and we need to get the community onboard because the things that are happening to our children are happening at the community level. We find that whatever we are we have to let the community become aware that there is a role to play in the protection of children” Green explained
According to the Child Care and Protection Agency head, things which have happened to children over the past year, including deaths, could have been avoided had there been more community intervention.

Green told the Guyana Chronicle that the hurt children are exposed to, starts in the home with family and this includes hurts of a sexual and emotional nature.
She went on to explain that members of the community have to move away from the whole notion of believing that once something is happening next door which affects a child, it is none of their concern.

“People next door are aware of what is going on but still persons are saying that they are not minding anybody’s business. But when it comes to child protection, you have to mind the people business. In fact, it is not minding business per se, its being vigilant because you see the role as a child protector and because you see and hear that something is not looking right,” Green noted.