Lead Stories

Patrina Pink, Gleaner Intern

Jamaica must move quickly to cool the flames of revenge among children in the battle-scarred communities of western Kingston, a government child-health official has warned.

Dr Judith Leiba, director of child and adolescent mental health in the Ministry of Health, urged stakeholders to start the healing process for children whose families and friends had been cut down in the hail of bullets during a three-day clash between gunmen and the security forces late last month.

One soldier and 73 civilians were killed in the incursion which centred on Tivoli Gardens and its outskirts.

Without quick intervention, emotionally wounded children could become the gunmen of tomorrow, Leiba said.

"We have to talk about revenge, because I'm sure a lot of children are thinking that they have to get back at whoever shot so and so, but we have to get them to resolve these issues," she said.

Leiba, speaking yesterday at a three-day trauma- and grief-management workshop at the Alpha Boys' Home in Kingston, underscored the importance of parents accepting anger as a natural part of the grieving process.

"Traditionally, we have been told to grin and bear it and not to talk about. We tell our children not to be angry and they have no avenue; it's like a block. We need to tell our children: You can be angry, but don't damage yourself or damage property."

The UNICEF-funded workshop was organised to shore up the capacity of 160 social workers and persons employed in schools and childcare agencies in dealing with youngsters suffering from trauma. Delegations from the Child Development Agency (CDA) and the health and education ministries were among the participants who turned out.

Multi-pronged strategy

Winston Bowen, acting chief executive officer of the CDA, stressed the importance of having a tiered approach to meeting the needs of grieving children.

"We'll be using drama and other forms of therapy to get to the children to prepare and to alleviate their responses. We know that not all children respond the same way and so we have to be prepared to deal with the primary schools, separate from basic schools and secondary high schools, in the region."

Clinical psychologist Cherena Forbes believes that desensitisation - linked to years of exposure to open conflict and murder - was a clear and present danger to the normal and effective functioning of children in affected areas.

"Sometimes, to survive, the children numb their emotions, but that is a short-term solution. It will come up again and in other forms.

"It may come home in how you have your relationships, how you relate your trust issues. Emotions don't disappear, so if they are not acted upon or worked through, they can have serious ramifications later on," said Forbes.

The childcare workers were also briefed on dealing with acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. They were also given a psychological blueprint of the 'grieving child'.

The workshop continues today.

patrina.pink@gleanerjm.com