CCPA pursuing surrogate parents for 700 children
DIRECTOR of the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA), Ms. Ann Greene reported yesterday that, this month, designated ‘Foster Care Month’, has not attracted many persons willing to serve as foster care parents. But she said she is, nevertheless, optimistic that the situation will improve by November 30.
Greene said the agency has received some applications but opined that the focus of the majority is elsewhere at the moment.
Among some of the activities for this month is an open day exhibition in the compound of CCPA, this Friday, which will feature art and craft by children in its care and in need of loving, caring devoted foster parents.
Greene expressed hope that the open day will attract more people offering to be foster care parents.
The CCPA designated November Foster Care Month with a programme of events planned to heighten awareness, in an effort to increase the number of persons willing to volunteer as foster care parents.
The Guyana Chronicle recently interviewed Greene, together with Administrative Manager of Foster Care, Ms. Colleen Khan and Public Relations Officer, Ms. Abigail Wade, at their Broad and Charles Street, Charlestown, Georgetown office.
On that occasion, Green said: “We are trying to increase the number of persons we have as potential foster care parents. We want to get a core list of persons willing to share their homes and love for children, so they could take a child in their home.”
She said the intention is to get the community to “buy in” because foster care is something that Guyana knows little about and which is “pretty new to Guyanese.”
Greene disclosed that there are about 700 children in institutions and foster care is being pursued as an alternative when a family fails and can no longer manage to rear children.
“A child is entitled to a family. If you can live with your own family, we will make that happen. If you cannot, then we will provide a foster care family,” she maintained.
Khan reiterated that foster care is a family-based option for children who cannot remain with their biological parents. When necessary, a child is placed with a surrogate family, temporarily, while the agency works to help the family with their issues.
She said, for this month, what the agency is trying to do is encourage people to enroll on their register by visiting the office and filling out a form. A home visit is then conducted, background checks are made and foster parents are required to do medical examinations, which are paid for by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security.
The foster care initiative was introduced in 2009 and this is the first time a month has been designated specifically for it.