Child-Friendly Space Opened in Manchester

A child-friendly space has been established at the Victim Services Branch (VSB) office in Mandeville, Manchester under the United States (U.S.)- Jamaica Child Protection Compact Partnership.

A child-friendly space is an environment designed to help children who are victims of crime to feel safe, calm, and comfortable while interacting with professionals, including law enforcement officers, social workers, healthcare professionals and prosecutors.

In his remarks at the opening ceremony held on August 18, Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck said far too many children are suffering in silence, having been victims of abuse.

“Far too many parents believe that the only way to straighten their children out is to brutalize them. They feel that whipping, pinching, and punching are ways to do this and invariably, this creates an atmosphere of violence and the very type of behaviour the children take back into the community,” Mr. Chuck stated.

He stressed that it was “important for us to send a strong message to communities and families that far too many of our children are suffering in silence”.

“We are asking all Jamaicans to partner with the police and the Victim Services Division of the Ministry to ensure that our children can be protected, and their violation can be prevented,” Mr. Chuck said.

The U.S.-Jamaica Child Protection Compact Partnership is a multi-year plan, jointly developed by the Governments of Jamaica and the U.S.

The shared goal of the partnership is to build on Jamaica’s current efforts to prosecute and punish perpetrators of child trafficking, identify victims, strengthen the provision of comprehensive protective services, and prevent reoccurrence of the heinous crime.

One of the implementing partners, Warnath Group seeks to build the capacity of Jamaican law enforcement and victim service providers to increase the level of victim-cantered care, which is appropriate and tailored to the needs of the victims.

Warnath Group Country Project Director, Aylair Livingston said this was the fifth such child-friendly space being developed under the Partnership.

“It is very important from the start, to when the crime is prosecuted and heard in court, the Victim Support Division is an important stop along that continuum. This is where the child is prepared for court. It is very important to address all areas where children can get the support they need,” Ms. Livingstone said.

For her part, Children’s Advocate, Mrs. Diahann Gordon Harrison welcomed the initiative.

“Child-friendly spaces are a game changer and have a fantastic impact on children who come into the system vulnerable, traumatised and emotionally afflicted. This space will be well used, it augurs well for justice in Jamaica and for the social face of justice, which is important if we are going to get true and fair justice,” she stated.

The space in Mandeville, is secure enough to be used as a remote location from which children could give testimonies during a trial.

Children will also be able to access counselling, emotional support, crisis intervention, court preparation, and victim advocacy for child victims of crime, including human trafficking.