A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND $250M Children and Family Care Centre was commissioned by President David Granger on Thursday. The centre will serve as a temporary sanctuary for at-risk children and families.

The centre is located in Plum Park, Sophia, Georgetown, and can house up to 80 individuals at a time and will be accessible 24/7. It is made up of seven building which include dormitory facilities for boys and girls; living quarters for up to eight families; kitchen; dining room; administration building and training facilities. The setting-up of the centre will see families being accommodated for up to three months and more, if needs be, while social work intervention and other assistance will be made available to aid transition.

Addressing the gathering, Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency, Ann Greene, reminded that is was the July 2016 fire at the drop-in-centre, in which two children died, that caused the government and its agencies to increase efforts towards a safer facility for vulnerable persons. “This accommodation is to be available to families who come to the attention of the child protection services, families with children who are assessed as being in serious vulnerable situations, mostly due to lack of adequate accommodation,” Greene explained.

She added that the child protection system being developed will result in the reduction of children needing out-of-home care and other efforts are being made to network support from religious organisations and local groups. Also delivering remarks, Minister Ally said that she is pleased to see the project become a reality and relieved to know that the centre will now serve as a first-stop for children and families who are at risk. “I remember standing on this very soil, filled with only mud and bushes and have the technical engineers declare to me what the building would eventually look like. But, to finally see the vision come to fruition, is indeed heartening,” she said.

Ally also noted that all children living at the centre are expected to attend school or to be enrolled in a day care while parents will be encouraged to work, attend a job training programme, seek housing and attend social services appointments. She encouraged Guyanese to do away with the culture of silence when it comes to child abuse and likewise urged agencies affiliated with the ministry to work to ensure that all children are protected; that children in rural areas receive equal access to care and that children with disabilities have their rights respected.

STRENGTHENING LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK

Meanwhile, in his feature address, President David Granger said that every generation has a duty towards the care and protection of children as a child must be given all the tools he or she needs to live a normal life. It is on this score he said, that the Government of Guyana has worked over the past years to strengthen legislative framework for childcare and protection.

Such efforts include six child advocacy centres for victims of child sexual abuse; Early Childhood Development centres at Ithaca and Anna Regina; Children’s Court to ensure a more rehabilitative and restorative system of juvenile justice; and Sexual Offences courts in Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo. At the same time, the government is pursuing policies to support regulations for improved management of childcare facilities; a reintegration policy for teen mothers; policy to address children without adequate parental care; policy to prevent child labour and policy to encourage good parenting practices.

“Every child belongs in the home. I would like to see more children who are in institutions reunited with their families. Children and parents should only be separated only for the child’s protection,” the President said. “I congratulate the Ministry of Social Protection on this initiative. It is yet another demonstration that government is moving in the right direction.”

Following the ceremony, the President, along with other officials, unveiled the plaque at the new building and took a tour of the buildings many facilities. The commissioning of the Children and Family Care Centre coincides with Guyana’s celebration of Child Protection Week which is being guided by the theme: “Promoting Social Change to Stop the violation of Children.” Joining the President at the commissioning ceremony were Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland; Ministers of Social Protection, Amna Ally and Keith Scott; Minister of Health, Volda Lawrence; Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson; Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine; Deputy Mayor, Alfred Mentore; members of the diplomatic corps and children from the nearby Sophia Care Centre.