Prescribed Persons Obligated To Report Child Abuse

Regional Director of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency’s (CPFSA) north-east region, Carolyn Stewart, says that persons who have responsibility for the treatment or care of minors have a duty to report known or suspected cases of child abuse.

“These are persons who, by virtue of their employment, have to treat children. So all the guidance counsellors, teachers, doctors, dentists, librarians, you are prescribed persons, meaning, by law you do not have a choice. You should not be wondering ‘should I or should I not’. The normal man may wonder, but we as prescribed persons, we must, and if we fail to do so, we are failing our children,” she said.

Mrs. Stewart was speaking to JIS News after a child protection drive-through of the communities of Breadnut Hill, Colgate and Golden Grove in St. Ann recently, as part of Child Month activities.

During the drive-through, representatives from the CPFSA spoke to residents about the importance of safeguarding children and reporting cases of abuse. They were also given educational material highlighting the roles and functions of the agency.

Mrs. Stewart told JIS News that for Child Month, the CPFSA’s north-east region will be undertaking an initiative called ‘Teen Tuesdays’, where representatives from the agency will be meeting with adolescents across the region.

In addition, in recognition of International Day of Families on May 15, siblings will be encouraged to write love notes to each other to improve their bond.

Child Month is being celebrated under the theme ‘I Strive to Overcome Adversities with Resilience (I-SOAR)’.

It will include the launch of a competition among childcare facilities, where each institution will be invited to submit a short video of a section of the compound requiring renovation.

Child protection mascot ‘Mr. Protector’ will be unveiled on National Children’s Day, May 21.