Parents Encouraged To Reach Out To The DRF For Help

Parents are being encouraged to take advantage of the help offered by the Dispute Resolution Foundation (DRF).

Manager of the Youth Services and Administration Division, at the DRF, Cherrol Taylor, wants parents and guardians to know they are not entirely alone in helping their children to develop.

“Help is here; take it. That is what I want to say to the parents. Take advantage of what is presented before you,” Miss Taylor implores.

COVID-19 has not made the job any easier, as more children spend time at home, increasing the chances of conflicts in the household. But with more time spent around children, caregivers have a unique opportunity to observe behavioural concerns once they appear.

Mrs. Taylor tells JIS News that since the pandemic, 80 per cent of referrals to the DRF now come from parents.

“Parents are referring their kids. They may find that their children may not be talking much, for instance; they are becoming antisocial. This gets [parents] concerned and want some help for them. They may want them to talk to someone and [in some cases] they don’t have any money to pay for those services, so they get in touch with us,” she says.

The DRF encourages the use of alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation, across Jamaica.

Since its inception in 2006, the DRF has worked with children through the School Suspension Intervention Programme (SSIP), catering to 10 to 18-year-olds who are at risk of suspension, are suspended or who are in need of an intervention.

Working in more than 100 schools across four parishes (St. James, Clarendon, Kingston and St. Andrew), the programme has been executing its mandate virtually since the start of the pandemic in March last year.

The SSIP also provides life-building skills to children who may not need intervention as a result of bad behaviour. These tools can equip youth to recognise challenges before they arise.

Mrs. Taylor points out that the increase in the utilisation of the service by parents represents a significant rise from one per cent.

“The issues are happening at home now and because home is the primary ground, that is why we have the 80 per cent coming from parents. Before, we had 95 per cent of our referrals coming from educational institutions across tertiary, secondary and primary levels. We also see referrals from certain entities, such as the police, Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) and other agencies that would make up the other five per cent,” she notes.

“So, this is completely new, where now we are seeing this big jump where the parents are saying we need help. Can you help me? My child really needs someone to talk to; we are having some issues at home; can we do a family intervention session,” Mrs. Taylor adds.

In addition to family intervention sessions, mediation and counselling, once a relationship has been built with the parents and children, the SSIP also helps with recommendations and résumé writing.

The Programme also assists with anti-bullying support, career advice, and official documentation application processes, including passport and Tax Registration Number application forms.

If you are a parent or guardian, it may not be difficult to recall feelings of being overwhelmed by working from home and meeting the demands of your children. Likewise, children are also adjusting to personal changes in their growth, managing online learning and the newfound 24/7 access to caregivers.

Mrs. Taylor says a big part of the process is helping parents and children adjust to this “new normal”.

“We are there to help them develop coping strategies to deal with what has come their way. We all are. Some of us just need somebody to walk us through it. There are some children that can be really challenging and I know that these parents love their children, but sometimes they are seeing things they’ve never seen before with each other, and this goes both ways,” tells JIS News.

“The kids are also there feeling bombarded, because they can’t even enjoy some of the activities that they are accustomed to. Therefore, in learning how to deal with or live in the new normal, we need persons – both the parent and the child – to adjust to what is happening right now,” she adds.

The SSIP also offers group therapy sessions targeting anger management, self-esteem and peer pressure, and provides support directly to parents, follows up with students and works with referral agencies.

“We work with select referral agencies, such as the National Council on Drug Abuse, Victim Services Division, CPFSA and the Child Guidance Clinics. For example, let’s say the child is suicidal, that would have to be escalated as soon as possible to a psychiatrist. We’d make the referral to the Child Guidance Clinic, we make the contact, have the child go in for the assessments and hand them over properly,” Mrs. Taylor explains.

She is encouraging Jamaicans to also refer persons who may need help. “If you don’t have any credit, send us a please call me.  Just reach out to us. Now that you have the information, do something about it,” she adds.

“There are entities in place for parents who are struggling with kids that might be displaying maladaptive behaviours. There are some parents who are not quite sure about navigating this thing called parenthood. Then you have persons that want the help. So, let us help each other and take advantage of the opportunity that these institutions, such as the Dispute Resolution Foundation, have  for you. It was designed with you in mind,” Mrs. Taylor says.

To access the services of the SSIP, persons can dial 876-960-6160 or email drf@drfja.org. They can also call or WhatsApp at 876-339-0333.