The Editor, Sir:I have read the letter of the day - 'The law must take its course' - published in The Sunday Gleaner of July 16, and would like to respond to the fifth question posed by Yvonne McCalla Sobers: "What is the role of the Child Development Agency (CDA) ... in protecting minors from sexual exploitation? Where is the child Abuse Registry?"
The CDA has statutory responsibility for children who are in need of care and protection including those abused, neglected or abandoned, as well as for children who are experiencing behavioural problems.
This means, therefore, that the CDA has an obligation to investigate reports referred to the agency and, if necessary, make arrangements for children to be brought before a children's court or family court as a child in need of care and protection. The agency deals with approximately 15,000 such cases each year.
Make a report
Reports can be made by visiting or calling the CDA head office or the closest parish office. In the Corporate Area, the numbers to call are 948-6678/948-2841-2: in St. Thomas, 734-0373: in St. Catherine, 984-5542/749-1423; in Manchester, 962-2558; in St. Elizabeth, 966-3246; in Clarendon, 986-6943; in St. Mary, 992-2212; in Portland, 993-9289; in St Ann, 972-2686; in Trelawny, 954-4344: in St. James, 979-3446; in Hanover, 956-2047, and in Westmoreland, 918-1642.
Persons are also encouraged to visit the nearest police station or call 119 to make a report.
Outside of its role in tertiary protection, the CDA is also actively involved in primary prevention work, including public education, community outreach and capacity building of professionals, service partners and citizens groups such as PTAs.
As such, we regularly and systematically conduct seminars, workshops, town meetings and develop and disseminate materials which are geared at informing children about their rights and adults about their responsibilities to protect children as guided by the CCPA 2004.
The number of persons who have been served by these activities over the last year is more than 100,000. We are very mindful of the need to scale up these interventions and this is an ongoing task.
The Children's Registry is not yet set up. It is an expensive undertaking, with multiple dimensions and very far-reaching implications for those who provide services to children.
Mindful of this, the approach has been to engage key stakeholders in an exhaustive consultation process that will guide the development and implementation of the registry.
In order to establish the registry, a document on the protocols, procedures and organisational structure of the registry had to be drafted.
This document was sent out to a number of key stakeholders for feedback and comments on the proposed design and implementation of the registry. In addition to this, a national consultation was held in May. Currently, the agency is in the process of incorporating into the draft document the comments and feedback received from stakeholders. We expect that the new draft will be finalised for submission to Cabinet by the end of July.
There are several other steps including the finalisation of the protocols to be used for reporting, design and procurement of systems to support the operations of the registry.
The CDA is very anxious to see the implementation of the children's Registry; however, we are equally determined to ensure that it functions seamlessly and that, ultimately the children, who it is set up to protect, and all persons and institutions that it will impact, are duly protected and satisfied with its effectiveness.
I trust that I have been successful in further enlightening you about the CDA's role and the status of the Children's registry.
I am, etc.
ALISON ANDERSON
Chief Executive Officer
Child Development Agency
childdev@anbell.net
