CPFSA Employees Take Part In Capacity-Building Conference

More than 70 employees at the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) participated in a capacity-building conference held recently as part of the Agency’s mechanism to strengthen its service delivery.

Realising that the consistent delivery of quality service largely depends on improving the competencies of all staff to meet the changing needs of clients, the agency hosted its inaugural Administrative Professionals Conference 2023, under the theme ‘Champions for Change… Partners in Transformation’.

Acting Chief Executive Officer at the CPFSA, Michelle McIntosh Harvey, says as Jamaica’s leading authority on providing care and protection for the nation’s children and safeguarding their well-being, her organisation is mandated to protect the most vulnerable members of society and their families.

Therefore, the conference theme is indicative of the changes the Agency has undergone over the years and the necessity for staff members to not only be advocates and supporters of change but to also recognise their own contribution to the growth and transformation of the Agency, she says.

Mrs. McIntosh Harvey explains that the conference, being the first of its kind, was not conceptualised in isolation but was in keeping with the thrust of the Government of Jamaica to improve and transform service delivery within the public sector, of which the CPFSA is a part.

She says that one of the most significant points in this transformation was the merger of the Child Development Agency and the Office of the Children’s Registry to create the CPFSA, which led to improved services provided to children and families.

“This change saw not only growth in human resources but also saw an expansion of the services being provided by the Agency, resulting in the need for a team of administrative professionals who are able to adapt and support this evolution,” Mrs. McIntosh Harvey says.

During the three-day conference, several administrative assistants, administrators, customer service representatives, executive assistants, records officers, registration officers, secretaries and telephone operators engaged in capacity-building and retooling courses with a strong focus on customer service and client care.

The participants engaged in a number of interactive sessions designed to foster professional and personal development. They had the opportunity to learn about best practices from internal and external experts, be retooled with the knowledge on how to meet service demand, and the development of high-performance teams.

The main objectives of the conference were to enumerate the strategic vision and overall mandate of the CPFSA, demonstrate to the administrative staff their role in supporting the strategic vision of the agency, to ensure that the operational process of the CPFSA is clearly understood, and to develop the participants’ customer service and client-care skills.

In addition, the conference allowed for self-reflection, active involvement and open dialogue, as well as constructive critique in addressing new and emerging challenges.

“Our administrative personnel and registration officers are at the forefront of operation and are, therefore, ideally positioned to play a meaningful role in the organisation’s transformation. As the agency continues to evolve, we are taking deliberate steps to equip and empower our team members to better serve our clients,” Mrs. McIntosh Harvey says.

In addition, she points out that the conference was used to recognise and applaud the staff for their invaluable work, re-energise and empower participants, explore and develop solutions for improved customer service experiences for clients and provide a forum for dialogue.

The CPFSA is the entity under the Ministry of Education and Youth (MOEY), responsible for enabling a stable and nurturing living environment for children who need care and protection.

It operates nine governmental residential childcare facilities, and licenses and regulates more than 40 private residential establishments islandwide.