– Gov’t spends $492.6M on childcare and protection in first half of 2026

THE Government of Guyana spent $492.6 million on childcare and protection during the first half of 2026, while plans are underway to significantly strengthen the country’s response to child abuse and expand support services for vulnerable children and families.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr Vindhya Persaud told the Guyana Chronicle that the ministry is moving to expand its rapid response team for child abuse, introduce enhanced digital tracking and monitoring, strengthen parenting programmes and expand foster care as part of efforts to improve the national child protection system.
The initiatives come as the government continues to invest in infrastructure and programmes aimed at providing safer environments and greater support for children.
According to the Ministry of Finance’s 2026 Mid-Year Report, the six-month expenditure included the completion of the Providence Day and Night Care Centre and rehabilitation works at the Children and Family Care Centre at Plum Park.
Design work also continued for three additional day-and-night-care centres in Regions Two, Five and Six, with construction expected to commence or continue during the second half of the year.
In addition, 10 new childcare facilities were supported through grants of $200,000 each, enabling the establishment of safe and secure care services, including home-based care.
The report noted that 376 facilities were registered to provide day-care services, with 1,100 caregivers involved in the sector. A further 254 caregivers received training, while more than 1,700 families benefited from psychosocial support.
Minister Persaud said strengthening the ministry’s rapid response capacity remains a major priority, particularly in ensuring that reports of child abuse are not only addressed promptly but are followed through to their conclusion.
“We are continuing to expand the rapid response team because that’s intervention when it comes to child abuse cases. We started small. We want to build that out to have a robust system across the country where reports are not only responded to but followed up,” she said.
The ministry is also developing a digital tracking and monitoring system intended to provide a more comprehensive picture of child protection cases and the interventions being undertaken.
“We are building out a digital tracking and monitoring system to be able to have a bird’s-eye view of what is going on, what is happening, is it followed up, what is the outcome,” Persaud said.
The Minister said greater attention will also be paid to the mental health and overall wellbeing of children, particularly those in State care.
The Government is examining options for State-supported mental health services for children, while the ministry is also looking at expanding psychotherapy and other interventions for children in State care.
Persaud said the objective is to ensure that children who enter State care receive the support needed to address their challenges and improve their prospects after leaving institutional care.
“We are also working in State care to look at more psychotherapy and looking at how we can comprehensively address the challenges,” she said.
Greater emphasis will also be placed on supporting parents, with the ministry planning to expand its parenting programme through Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres, communities and Parent-Teacher Associations.
“We are amplifying our parenting programme through the newer ECD centres that we are setting up, and we are also looking at parenting in communities and through PTAs. Because parenting is very challenging for a lot of parents now,” Persaud said.
The foster care system is also expected to undergo further development as the ministry seeks to reduce the reliance on institutional care.
“We are also increasing our foster care programme to over time remove institutionalising,” the Minister said.
Alongside the service and infrastructure improvements, the ministry is preparing a number of policies aimed at strengthening the protection and welfare of children.
Persaud said policies on alternative care and reunification, missing children, and children with incarcerated parents are expected to be introduced before the end of the year.
The measures form part of the government’s broader efforts to strengthen the child protection system through improved intervention, monitoring, family support, alternative care and rehabilitation services.