National Task Force on Child Abuse Heads to Port Maria Primary on June 10

The Task Force on Child Abuse Prevention (TFCAP) will host an Information Fair and Mini Exhibition at the Port Maria Primary School, St. Mary, tomorrow(June 10), beginning at 8:30 a.m. under the theme, “Preserve the Environment, Protect Our Children.”
The day’s activities will feature presentations relating to four of the environments in which a child operates: school, community, home and traffic.
The event, originally scheduled for Child Month(May), was conceptualized as a response to letters sent to the Prime Minister, Hon. Bruce Golding, earlier this year by three students, pleading for help for their institutions and providing advice on how children can be better protected by the State. Two of these children attend the Port Maria Primary School.
The Dispute Resolution Foundation(DRF), the Victim Support Unit(VSU), the Jamaica Constabulary Force(JCF), the Social Development Commission(SDC), Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) and the Road Safety Unit are among the organizations slated to speak at a Speakers Forum, to provide information on efforts being made to protect the nation’s children and preserve the environment.
The Department of Local Government will speak about the recently launched Ananda Alert system, an effort by the Government to track missing children. The Dispute Resolution Foundation will offer conflict resolution skills, which they perceive to be timely, in light of the increased incidence of violence in schools.
With 14 child fatalities listed among the 158 persons killed in traffic crashes since the start of the year, The Road Safety Unit and the Transport Authority, both Departments of the Ministry of Transport and Works, will provide proper road usage tips and other pointers on how to operate in the traffic environment.
The Coalition for Better Parenting and the Bureau of Women’s Affairs are among the presenters for the Adult Forum.
Other participating organizations include the SDC, Office of the Children’s Registry, the Child Development Agency(CDA), the Transport Authority, the Victim Support Unit, the JCF and the Department of Local Government.
The Task Force on Child Abuse Prevention (TFCAP) was established by the Prime Minister in 2008, and is chaired by Chief Executive Officer of the Child Development Agency, Alison Anderson.