Parenting 1st, protection always, and raising children takes all of us

Dear Editor,
Too often, when society is confronted with troubling behaviour among our youth, like sexual violence, bullying, truancy, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, and so on, we look immediately to the state for answers. The Government certainly has a duty to protect, regulate, and provide services. But we should be honest with ourselves: some responsibilities fall squarely at the feet of parents, the household, the family, and the community.
Take moral and sexual education, for example. This cannot be outsourced entirely to the school system or to Government programmes. Schools can teach age-appropriate health and safety concepts, and agencies can provide guidance and interventions, but parents must start that education at home. Children learn values first by observation: how adults speak to each other, what boundaries look like, what respect sounds like, and how conflict is handled.
That brings me to modelling. Many of us want children to “behave better”, “listen”, “stay focused”, and “choose right”. Yet structure often comes after the fact – after the phone addiction, after the bad company, after the crisis. No parent can control everything a child does, of course not. But parents can control the culture of their homes: routines, supervision, clear expectations, and consequences that are firm but fair. And crucially, we must live what we teach. Children can forgive imperfect parents; what they struggle with is hypocrisy.
Communication is another pillar we cannot afford to neglect. Children need a safe space to ask hard questions and to receive truthful, age-appropriate answers. When that space is missing, children will still search for answers, but they may find them in places that distort reality: social media, peers, predators, and misinformation. If a child cannot talk to their parent about relationships, sex, consent, fear, shame, or confusion, then we have already left them exposed.
At the same time, we must acknowledge that raising children requires a village, and that village includes communities and the state. The Government’s role is not to replace parenting but to safeguard all Guyanese, including children, and to ensure there are clear systems for prevention, reporting, rescue, and support when families struggle or when harm occurs.
Our Government has strengthened that protective framework through laws and agencies designed to intervene when violence, abuse, and neglect threaten homes. The Childcare and Protection Agency (CCPA) exists specifically to protect and care for children in need of assistance and protection, supported by legislation that sets out its functions and authority. In addition, the 914 hotline provides a nationwide, toll-free reporting channel for child abuse, sexual offences, and domestic violence, making it easier for citizens to speak up before it is too late.
We have also seen continued legislative strengthening around family safety, including the Family Violence Act 14 of 2024, which modernised and expanded protections beyond the older framework. And importantly, the Government has publicly engaged stakeholders on reforms to the Sexual Offences Act, including proposals aimed at strengthening protections for victims and improving the system’s response.
But even the best laws cannot substitute for what must happen daily in homes and communities. Government can build guardrails; parents must steer. Communities must also play their part: neighbours who report abuse, faith leaders who counsel responsibly, youth groups that provide mentorship, and schools that collaborate with families rather than compete with them.
So, let us embrace the courage and self-awareness to say, “We must take responsibility for our part.” Parenting is not only about providing; it is about guiding. Not only about love, but it is also about discipline and protection. Not only about shelter, but it is also about shaping character.
If we want to keep our children safer and have a healthier society, the path is clear: parents lead, communities support, and Governments safeguard. That is how the village works.

Yours respectfully,
Dr Suelle Findlay-
Williams