SOME $353 million will be used this year to construct day and night care centres for children, a care facility for the elderly and a juvenile-processing centre at Brickdam, among other initiatives.

This provision is part of the $40.4 billion allocation which was recently approved by the National Assembly for the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MoHSSS).

Last year, the government had indicated its strong intention to begin establishing day and night care centres for parents in need.

With more and more women entering the workforce, and many of them being single parents, the need for day and night care centres are deemed critical to ensuring that parents in the workforce have a trusted facility for child care. This is particularly needed in the case of low-income earners.

Moreover, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had included the construction of such facilities in its 2020-2025 manifesto under the heading, “Empowering women and taking care of children and vulnerable groups.” The party gave its commitment that it will encourage and assist in the establishment of day -centres for working women in the social sector.

A strong case for the need for night-care centres was established last year when three young children perished in a fire at their 10th Field Barnwell, Moch- Arcadia, East Bank Demerara (EBD) home, while their mother was at work.

Employed as a security officer, the mother was struggling to make ends meet and did not have readily available child-care options at her disposal. At the time of the incident, the family lived in a one-level ‘shack.’

The day/night care centres programme is being rolled out through a collaborative effort with the MoHSSS’ Women Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) training programme, and the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA).

Women participating in the WIIN child-care course will undergo comprehensive training that caters to all the needs of the child, while the CCPA’s role in the programme is geared towards having trained and licensed child-care providers registered with the agency.

This will satisfy the standards required by the agency. By having this done, the ministry will be able to provide a list of approved day- and night-care providers.

Additionally, persons interested in establishing care centres will be supported by the ministry with small financial provisions to ensure that the facility is running efficiently.

Also, as part of expenditure under child care and protection services is the building of the juvenile-processing centre that will provide the necessary services for young persons, who have come into conflict with the law, to help develop themselves.

The dormitory at the Mahaica Children’s Hospital, rehabilitation of the Sophia Care Centre, and completion of the Mahaica Child Care Centre are also all catered for in this year’s allocation.

In terms of care for the elderly and other vulnerable groups, aside from the provision for a care centre for senior citizens, the budget caters for a physical therapy room at the Palms Geriatric Home, and rehabilitation of the kitchen at the Night Shelter.

According to the Minister of Human Services, Dr Vindhya Persaud, the programmes and policies of the government in the area of social services have positioned the country as a pacesetter.