Child Diversion Programme a Success Story for Jamaica – Minister Chuck
By: , April 2, 2026
Photo: Michael Sloley
Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Delroy Chuck (second left), looks on as Technology for Development Officer at the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Sabrina Atkinson (second right), points out something of interest on one of the 20 tablets donated to the Child Diversion Branch in the Ministry by UNICEF. The devices were handed over during a digitisation and data management system training for members of the Branch held on March 27 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Kingston. Others (from left) are Director of the Branch, Venisa Clarke; and Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF, Marjana Badas.The Full Story
Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Delroy Chuck, has hailed the Child Diversion Programme as a success story for Jamaica.
Operational since 2020, the programme aims to divert children, ages 12 to 17, away from the formal criminal justice system.
“I can tell you that the Child Diversion Programme remains one of the Ministry’s most progressive interventions providing children who come into conflict with the law an opportunity for rehabilitation, guidance, and a second chance,” Minister Chuck said.
“Through counselling, mentorship and structured support, we are not only addressing behavioural challenges but actively reshaping these children’s life projections,” he added.
He was speaking at a ceremony for the presentation of 20 tablets to the Child Diversion Branch by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) at the Courtyard by Marriott in New Kingston on March 27.
The devices are to support the digitisation of the case management system, which allows for better tracking of individualised treatment plans for children referred to the Child Diversion Programme.
They were handed over during the digitisation and data management system training for 23 members of the Branch, which was held from March 26 to 28.
Undertaken through partnership with UNCEF, the training was designed to upgrade the operations, monitoring, and data collection mechanisms of the Child Diversion Programme.
The Justice Minister commended the child diversion officers for their transformative work.
He also hailed UNICEF, noting that the organisation has been one of the strongest supporters of the Child Diversion Programme.
“UNICEF recognises how very important it is to our children, and so this partnership has been a real shared commitment in protecting our children here in Jamaica,” he added.
Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF, Marjana Badas, in her remarks, said that the digitisation of the case management system for the Child Diversion Programme has been a long time in the making.
“The online case management system has been developed, tested, refined with the information communications technology team. The necessary tools are in place… the system has been fully migrated to the Government of Jamaica’s system. The [child diversion team members] have been trained and the programme is ready to move progressively from pilot to national scale,” she said.
She noted that the “digital strengthening is not simply about technology, but also about reinforcing the system itself ensuring that cases are consistently tracked and acted upon in each parish in real time”.
Ms. Badas commended the Child Diversion Programme, noting that it offers a second chance to youngsters who come in conflict with the law.
She said that often these children have already experienced violence, neglect or exclusion.
She noted that since its development in 2020, with UNICEF’s support, “This programme has shown what is possible when a country invests in children. Through assessments, trained professionals and structured interventions, we are collectively building a pathway that diverts children from the justice system and towards hope.”
