Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
SEVERAL GOVERNMENT and Opposition senators have recommended a raft of measures to address the issue of violence and crime being committed against children.
The Senators were making their contributions to Friday's debate on a private member's motion brought by Government Senator Norman Grant.
Government Senator, Noel Monteith wants the enforcement of the Broadcasting Code for children. He said research has confirmed a positive correlation between violence in the media and violence among children.
He also called for an expansion of conflict resolution programmes such as Peace and Love in Society (PALS) and the Dispute Resolution Foundation.
Senator Monteith said there should be specialized training for guidance councillors, teachers and other service providers, on the management of children who have been victims or witnesses to violence, abuse and trauma.
"This is necessary to prevent short term and long-term negative consequences including the cycle of violence," he said.
Senator Monteith who is also State Minister in the Education Ministry also wants more community based after-school programmes.
Meanwhile, Opposition Senator, Dr. Christopher Tufton is calling for the Government to review some of its social programmes.
Among them is the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH).
He said the criteria where a child is dropped from the programme if he/she fails to attend school regularly, should be re-examined.
SUPPORT SCHEME
"Instead of taking an approach that seeks to punish that individual, by taking them out of that support scheme, for not sending them to school I believe that we need to look more deeply at determining why is it that the child is not unable to attend classes five days per week," he said. Dr. Tufton recommended that the Government offer adequate support by way of extension officers to allow for the necessary interventions.
He also called for more social workers to be employed at the Child Development Agency (CDA). According to him, the CDA was understaffed with approximately 60 social workers to deal with approximately 5,000 children in their care.
Meanwhile, Opposition Senator Prudence Kidd-Deans said parents who migrate, leaving their children without proper supervision should be charged with neglect.
