Children centres needed in Guyana’s hinterland – ChildLink

The need for Child Advocacy Centres (CACs) to be established in the hinterland regions in Guyana was recently highlighted in a report assembled by an activist group, ChildLink.
CACs are internationally accepted as the best model for investigating and coordinating efforts for suspected child victims of sexual and other violence.
ChildLink said there were several regions in Guyana that currently do not have CACs, and pinpointed the hinterland region as an area where attention must be given.
“Even in those regions with CACs, distances can be great and transportation poor, meaning that the majority of Guyanese children have limited or no access to the forensic interviews, counselling, case coordination, and legal and other support offered by the CACs,” the report states.
It goes further to say that all children across the various administrative regions should have access to the services that are offered by CACs, as they house the forensic interviewer and coordinate investigative efforts, resulting in more thorough investigations and greater likelihood of an effective legal response.
About 30 per cent of reported cases of child sexual abuse are referred to the Child Advocacy Centres (CACs), where children receive services to specifically address the trauma and support through the legal process.
Although some are supported through their rehabilitation phase, the report finds that over 500 children annually may not receive any counselling for the trauma they have suffered, and are likely to grow into adulthood bearing the wounds of their traumatic childhood.
ChildLinK and Forward Guyana, in collaboration with the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA), managed to open Guyana’s first CAC in Georgetown in February 2014. Another was opened in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) in May 2015, followed by another in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) in September 2015.
Blossom Inc, another partner of the CPA, opened another CAC in Georgetown and another in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) during the 2015 to 2016 period. Since the opening of the CACs, both agencies have been receiving referrals from law enforcement, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the Ministry of Education through the schools, Georgetown Public Hospital, and the Childcare and Protection Agency of children who are known or suspected to have been abused sexually.
From February 2014 to December 2017, these referrals to CACs operated by ChildLinK totalled 171 in Region 4 (Georgetown); 87 in Region 5 (West Coast Berbice) and 80 in Region 3 (West Bank Demerara). ChildLinK received a total of 338 referrals during this time period.