SDC Hosts Town Meeting and Workshop on Child Safety and Security in Linstead

The Social Development Commission (SDC), partnering with several key stakeholders, staged a successful public symposium and workshop in Linstead, St. Catherine last week, under the theme “Communities: Protecting Children, Protecting Our Future.”
Arising out of the workshop, a Community Child Protection Committee was formed which, through an action plan, will deal with the issues facing children who were identified during the workshop.
Manager of Community Development Planning with the SDC for Region Five (St. Catherine) Patrick Johnson, told JIS News, that the action plan would deal with a number of things such as “what is to be done immediately, in the short term, and in the long term, and (what is) to be tackled by whom, (and) who should be the lead agencies or organisation.”
He further stated that this action committee would be driven primarily by the Linstead Community Development Committee, which has a firmly rooted foundation in the town. It will include representatives from the school community, CISOCA, the police community and safety and juvenile branches, the church, and the SDC in a monitoring, and facilitatory role. “We are confident as these are persons who work hard, we know about that. We at the SDC have been working closely with them over a number of years and we are confident that they can actually drive the process on the ground with the support of the lead agencies that support the welfare of children,” he noted.
The two-pronged approach (symposium and workshop) he stated, was aimed at heightening the awareness of residents of the need for the adoption of greater child safety and security measures.
The symposium was held at the Rose Duncan Park in Linstead Square and involved several key participating public and private sector organisations, including Children First, the Child Development Agency, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, and the Transport Authority. Meanwhile, the workshop was held at the Linstead Methodist Church Hall and saw participation from persons from community-based organisations, state agencies, and Non-Governmental Organisations in the Linstead community.