Virtual Regional Exchange Conference Slated to Mark International Missing Children’s Day

In recognition of International Missing Children’s Day on May 25, the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) will host a virtual Regional Knowledge Exchange Conference on Friday (May 24). 

Ananda Alert Officer at the CPFSA’s National Children’s Registry, Annadjae Roberts, told JIS News that the event aims to facilitate collaboration among regional nations to enhance responses to cases of missing children, in line with this year’s theme, ‘Strengthening Responses to Missing Children: A Regional Exchange of Good Practices’. The conference will feature presentations by various stakeholders from Jamaica, Barbados, The Bahamas, and the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC).  

Participants will discuss various practices and policies employed in their respective countries, with a focus on learning from each other and identifying new strategies for implementation. Explaining the conference’s significance, Ms. Roberts stated:  “It is a learning experience where the participants aim to identify different practices within different countries and strengthen regional collaboration in responding to incidents of missing children.” Key presenters include Vice President of National Capacity Building at 

ICMEC, Pili Ramirez; Senior Child Care Officers, Roxanne Sanderson and Julia Davis from the Child Care Board in Barbados; Sergeant Nakeita Pickstock of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, along with presenters from Jamaica. Topics for discussion will encompass wideranging areas, including Jamaica’s Ananda Alert System, The Bahamas’ Macro Alert System, and the collective advancement of a model missing child framework within the Caribbean region. 

While the primary focus is on service delivery, the conference will also address ways to improve responses to missing children from a community perspective.  

“Each person must get involved,” Ms. Roberts emphasised, highlighting the importance of collective action in safeguarding children. Representatives of several stakeholder groups, such as the Office of the Children’s Advocate, various units of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the National Task Force Against Trafficking in Person, National Parent-Teachers’ Association, along with school administrators, will participate.  The conference will be held online via the Zoom platform, Meeting ID: 839 2537 3482 Passcode: 769300. To participate, persons are invited to register through CPFSA’s social media pages (@CFSAjm) or the agency’s website at www.childprotection.gov.jm. Ms. Roberts encourages interested members of the public to register, join this timely discussion and contribute to efforts aimed at protecting vulnerable children.  

She also urges individuals to report any suspicious sightings or information regarding missing children to the relevant authorities. 

The CPFSA is dedicated to promoting the well-being of children through effective intervention and collaborative partnerships.  

Operating under the Ministry of Education and Youth, the CPFSA provides essential services to safeguard children and support families across Jamaica.