…Minister Webster tells staffers at first Child Protection Agency conference
THE goal of securing a safer environment for children in any country testifies to not only a caring Government but, one that seeks to ensure that its future generations are nurtured and empowered to aid personal and national development.
The Guyana Government’s policies and programmes that are related to children were Wednesday carefully re-examined and reviewed by the country’s premier child protection body, the Child Care and Protection Agency, at a one – day staff conference held at Duke Lodge in the city.
The event provided both management and staff of the agency the opportunity to examine its operations procedures, and its achievement and challenges, while finalising plans and strategies for the coming year.
Newly appointed Minister of Human Services and Social Development, Jennifer Webster, in her first public address to staffers of the agency, reaffirmed government’s commitment to further improving the lives of children.
Reflecting on some of government’s achievements in the social services sector, she said several pieces of key legislation, including protection, status, adoption, maintenance and the new sexual offences legislation were enacted during the Ninth Parliament, all aimed at improving the lives of children and young people.    
“We need to protect our children from physical, sexual and emotional abuse, and we should recognise the importance of proper guidance which is key and critical to a child’s development,” Minister Webster explained.
In this regard, she said Government remains committed to the continued implementation of policies and programmes, including the expansion of foster care programme and the establishment of more child care centres and nursery schools. 
Minister Webster, alluding to Professor Paulo Pinheiro, United Nations Secretary-General’s 2006 study on Violence against Children, reminded the staff that “no violence against children is justifiable and all violence against children is preventable”.
It is on this fundamental premise, she said, that government’s commitment to, and actions toward securing a protected environment for Guyana’s children is based.
Against this background, she added that Guyana’s children are its life-blood and when they are threatened or harmed in any way, the future health, safety and economy of the nation are compromised. 
While government policies and programmes have been developed and directed towards the creation and maintenance of a safe environment for children, their success depends on the involvement of all citizens.
“Child protection is not the responsibility of the Child Protection Agency or the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, but of all Guyanese, men, women and children, and requires their full attention, concern and vigilance,” Minister Webster urged.
She also called on the agency to further develop and strengthen its monitoring framework to enable a better assessment and evaluation of government’s policies and programmes to achieve its desired outcome, the protection of children.
This, Minister Webster said, is crucial, since timely and accurate data are critical for good decision-making and sound policy decisions.
“The utility of this staff conference has to be more than about sharing experiences; and as such, we must challenge ourselves to ensure we are adopting best practices for our children who are among the most vulnerable in our society,” Minister Webster pointed out.
Whilst ensuring that the systems implemented for the protection and monitoring of children in difficult circumstances are undertaken in an efficient and effective manner, she urged that all must work together to embrace the challenges and remain steadfast to execute their duties.
Director of the Child Care and Protection Agency, Ann Green, while commending the staffers for their dedication, urged them to further reaffirm their commitment and dedication to even greater roles and responsibilities in the future, including implementation of a new Child Development Act of 2011.
This act, she said, will relate to registering, licensing and monitoring of child care facilities across the country.
“More and more reports are coming to the agency of all forms of abuse of children being perpetrated by persons whom the children hold dear and trust,” Green said.
One most challenging issue of the agency, she said, is getting the over 500 pending sexual abuses cases through the judicial system.
A new $25M headquarters for the Child Care and Protection Agency was commissioned at Broad and Charles Streets in the city in May.
Over the years, the agency has been actively monitoring foster homes and orphanages, and implementing policies with regard to adoption, custody, guardianship and maintenance of children.
The Child Care and Protection Agency was officially established in June 2009, and to date, has been responding to thousands of children across the length and breadth of Guyana.
The Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, over the past six years, has made significant strides in improving the quality of life for many vulnerable citizens, including children, young people, the elderly and the homeless. (GINA)