THE Child Care & Protection Agency (CCPA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Protection on Friday hosted its Annual Foster Care Training Programme for current and prospective foster parents in Guyana. According to Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, the objective of the CCPA programme is to provide the best care for vulnerable children in Guyana through advanced training.
“The CCPA foster care programme is a relatively new initiative aimed at providing family-based care, as an alternative to institutional care to our vulnerable children. In fact, the agency firmly believes that family-based care will provide a nurturing and supportive environment that will cater for their special needs and promote their emotional and social development.”
She explained that the initiative is very important to the Government.
“Our children to us as a Government are our top priority. And it is our responsibility that they are placed in a safe environment, given the unique and peculiar circumstances that cause their separation from their natural habitats.”
The Social Protection Minister said caregivers must be conversant with best practices and be in possession of the relevant knowledge and skills base.
She posited that the seminar provides an opportunity for all stakeholders to standardise and enhance the level of foster care provided.
Meanwhile, facilitator of the training programme, Carol Trim- Bagot, a foster care parent, said the programme is dear to her as the main focus is to re-unify the children with their families.
She has been in the programme for approximately 10 years.
Probation and Social Services Officer, Felina Maikoo, told the Guyana Chronicle that the annual foster care training programme started in 2009 and many caregivers have been invited over the years to the event. This year, over 50 caregivers from across the country benefited.
In a September 21, 2015 publication in the Kaieteur News, titled “Children in foster care outnumbering foster parents,” it was stated that there is a need for more foster parents as the number of foster children are outnumbering them.