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Ground is to be broken for a children’s hospital in western Jamaica, during fiscal year 2013/14. Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, made the announcement on Tuesday (January 15) adding that plans are already underway for the establishment of the institution, which will be located on the grounds of the Cornwall Regional Hospital in St. James. “It is going...

The Ministry of Youth and Culture has commenced an audit of the children’s homes and places of safety so as to identify the needs of these institutions. This was disclosed by Portfolio Minister, Hon. Lisa Hanna, following a visit to the juvenile sections of the Fort Augusta Correctional Centre in St. Catherine and the Horizon Remand Centre in Kingston on...

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Child Development Agency (CDA), Carla Francis Edie, is appealing to parents and guardians to visit their children in child care institutions. Speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’, held Tuesday (January 15) at the agency’s head office in Kingston, Mrs. Edie said that parents must use every opportunity to visit, even if...

As at September, 2012, some 57.5 per cent of children in State care were in Living in Family Environment (LIFE) Programmes, which are alternatives to placing children in child care facilities. CEO of the Child Development Agency, Carla Francis Edie, said the agency is on an intense drive to increase the number of children in LIFE programmes this year. LIFE...

The school feeding initiative under the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP) will be implemented in institutions in sections of St. Andrew this month. The initiative, being executed by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), seeks to complement the National School Feeding Programme by providing healthy juices and snacks for children utilising locally grown fruits and vegetables. Speaking to JIS News,...

A total of $16.5 million will be disbursed to 17 tertiary students, under the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH), over a three-year period, having excelled academically at the secondary level. This was disclosed by Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Derrick Kellier, at an awards ceremony, held on November 22 at the Ministry’s Head Office, 1F...

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, says the ‘I Believe’ Youth Initiative, now in its second year, has received positive comments from participants, and  tremendous support from resource persons. “One of the welcome results is the decision of several of the presenters and facilitators to become ‘I Believe’ Ambassadors. This means that they have declared their commitment...

Minister with responsibility for Information, Senator Sandrea Falconer, said there is need to sensitise and empower parents and caregivers to assist with the protection of their children. She said that parents should not depend solely on Ananda Alert to stem the missing-children problem. "Many of the children, who go missing, they are children, who the supervision isn't as good as...

Minister with responsibility for Information, Senator Sandrea Falconer, said the decision to transfer the Ananda Alert system to the Ministry of Youth and Culture will give it the kind of focus needed to address the crisis of missing and abducted children. She said that discussions are well underway to facilitate the move "and we expect that (the) recommendations will be sent...

The Ananda Alert system is to be moved from the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development to the Ministry of Youth and Culture. Making the disclosure at on June 27 Jamaica House press briefing, Local Government Minister, Hon. Noel Arscott, informed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to effect the transfer, has already been signed. He said the system...

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security, through its International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), has renewed its call on Jamaicans to assist in the campaign to end child labour in the country. Since 2000, Jamaica has been working with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), to implement a national programme to prevent and eliminate child labour, says...

The findings of a diagnostic study designed to review the capacity of the State to “prepare wards of the state for independent living,” were released Thursday March 29. The objectives of the study were: to identify “intervening variables that contribute to, or prevent successful re-integration into the wider society for former wards of the state; conduct a social assessment of...