MPs Called on to Help in Fight Against Child Abuse
By: , October 16, 2021
Photo: Donald De La Haye
State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Robert Morgan, shows a poster providing information about the 211 child abuse reporting hotline, which he requested Members of Parliament (MPs) to place in their constituency offices to aid in the fight against child abuse. The poster forms part of the information package on the hotline Mr. Morgan has put together for distribution by MPs to their constituents. Mr. Morgan was making his contribution to the 2021/22 State of the Constituency Debate during the sitting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday (October 12).
Photo: Donald De La Haye
State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Robert Morgan, makes reference to a sticker which is part of the information package on the 211 child abuse reporting hotline he organised for Members of Parliament to distribute in their constituencies. Mr. Morgan was making his contribution to the 2021/22 State of the Constituency Debate during the sitting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday (October 12).The Full Story
Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Robert Morgan, has enlisted the help of Members of Parliament (MPs) to further encourage the use of the 211 hotline to report any incidences of child abuse.
The 24-hour hotline which was launched virtually in September, is free of cost whether dialled from a cellular or landline telephone, and is a confidential means of reporting incidents of child abuse or to seek help concerning children.
Mr. Morgan stressed that as an advocate who is fighting for the rights of children, he felt the need to further bolster the use of the 211 hotline by providing information packages on the reporting tool for distribution by MPs to their constituents.
The packages, which Mr. Morgan noted will serve to encourage constituents to report child abuse, include stickers and business cards which were made available to MPs during the sitting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday (October 12).
“I am also giving you some posters to put in your constituency office, so that you can be a partner in carrying the message to rescue our children,” Mr. Morgan said, while making is contribution to the 2021/22 State of the Constituency Debate.
The new hotline which was organised through a collaborative effort of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, replaces the 888-PROTECT hotline.
The hotline is being operated by trained officers who will ask key questions to determine what kind of abuse a child is facing, the level of urgency and which entity is best suited to investigate the report.
In addition to the CPFSA investigation unit, the Office of the Children’s Advocate and several units of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) will have access to investigate reports issued.