Child Protection Week: 3-year plan to curb child abuse to be launched

…as 1918 child abuse cases recorded in 6 months

The Human Services and Social Security Ministry will soon launch an impactful three-year programme and strategic policy that centres around public awareness, parenting, family relationships, and community involvement as well as age-appropriate education on child abuse matters for children and adolescents.
This is among several events to commemorate Child Protection Week which kicks off today, September 20, to September 26, under the theme “Together, Let’s Keep Children Safe”. In her remarks to commemorate the occasion, subject Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud said the safety of every child should not be an elusive goal.
She said the launching of Child Protection Week underscores the urgent need for collaborative efforts to achieve this. The Minister revealed that there were some 1918 cases of child abuse at the end of June while noting that many cases remain unreported, allowing predators and perpetrators unfettered access to vulnerable children.
According to her, the increased and necessary usage of the internet during the COVID-19 pandemic has opened newer avenues for abuse, as does the hiatus from school as many children may be in closer proximity to their abusers.
“These scenarios mandate the need to promote more public awareness of the signs of abuse, more education for children on their rights as well as avenues of safety and protection and critically, the overwhelming need for the adults at every level to report instances of child abuse responsibly. And, yes, we need to encourage children to tell because they understand that they will not be dismissed but helped!” Dr Persaud said.
The Minister added that the 914 hotline has led to some increase in reporting and pleaded with members of the public to use this and other responsible forms of reporting. Importantly, she urged persons to desist from placing pictures of children or anything that identifies a child who is being abused in the public domain.
This, she pointed out, “leads to stigma, more trauma and mental health issues for these children”. The Minister called on persons who may be aware of children in distress to call the 24-hour 914 hotline, or the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA) on 227-0979. Dr Persaud said that persons wishing to report a matter are not required to provide proof of abuse.
“If something just doesn’t seem right, it usually isn’t, so the CPA only requires the public to provide the location and identity of the child for us to intervene. While I stress reporting is key to getting the process of intervention started, of equal importance is the optimum functioning of the supporting structures of law enforcement and justice.”
To this end, she said the Ministry has commenced intense training for law enforcement officers through the CC&PA as reports must be acted on with alacrity. “Our own child protection officers are continually trained to provide necessary support to children and family.”
While interventions may require children to be removed to protective custody of the State, the Minister noted that every effort is made to reintegrate and remove children from institutions as early as possible to loving and safe homes.

“Every Child Safe Campaign”
Also, this week, the Ministry will launch its “Every Child Safe Campaign” with the intention of engaging communities in its efforts to create safe environments for children. Through this initiative, the Ministry intends to emphasise that child protection is everyone’s business.
“Everyone – teachers, relatives, friends, neighbours – each must play a role in ensuring that children are in a safe, secure environment, one that nurtures their abilities and enables them to turn into happy, productive adults,” Dr Persaud said.
This year’s Child Protection Week activities will involve parents and children and members of various communities, as well as multimedia messages featuring the children of Guyana.
According to Minister Persaud, the CC&PA can attest to the fact that children growing up in abusive households often replicate the very behaviour when they start their own families; and the cycle is perpetuated.
As such, she implored, “We must always remember that children deprived of love, encouragement, and safe environments can morph into adults filled with hate, poor self-worth, and intolerance. Let us do our bit – together, let’s keep them safe. Every child safe!” (G1)