BASSETERRE St. Kitts – A level of negativity has always surrounded the St. Christopher Children’s Home, specifically when it involves the level of care that is given to the children housed there.
Whenever the Children’s Home is mentioned, persons are usually heard saying things like “They do not take care of the children; they are left to fend for themselves”, or “Nobody does be there with the kids; they always by themselves”.
SKNVibes spoke with the Chairman of the St. Christopher Children’s Home and Service League, Sebastian Mottram, to find out how the children are taken care of, how they adjust to such an environment and how the children cope with their traumatic situations.
The St. Christopher Children’s Home was constructed and established by the St. Christopher Children’s Home and Service League Association Limited, which was developed in September 1935 by Mrs. Neverson who started the 'million penny fund'.
The Children’s Home was officially opened in January 1950 as a place of safety for children from four to 19 years of age, who are at risk in the community and who do not otherwise have a place to live. The residents are mainly child abuse victims, neglected or abandoned children, orphans, or those placed there by court order.
The Home can cater for up to 30 children but the numbers are usually less. It is divided into two dormitories – male and female, complete with bunk beds, storage facilities, bathrooms, living room, dining room and kitchen.
Presently, the Home has one administrator and four house mothers who work shifts; hence someone is with the children at all times. The Home is also supported by Friends, a volunteer group that helps with taking care of the children.
The children attend schoo; and they attend Church and Sunday School at the Moravian Church on Victoria Road. The majority of the children in the Home are placed there by Court order. Others include children who have been abandoned or abused by their parents; or those whose parents have become incapacitated or have died.
More common are children who have a parent in prison, or children whose parents are considered by the state as being incapable of performing their parental duties. Instances may occur when a parent becomes financially unstable and go to Social Services for Welfare and is advised to have the child/children placed in the Home until such time when they become financially stable again and can entirely support their child/children.
There is an administration procedure where Social Services would come and give the Home the children’s personal details including the circumstances under which the children are being placed there. Afterwards, the children would be admitted to the Home.
A doctor would then come and see the children for a medical check-up. The doctor would also give advice on whether or not the children are in need of psychological assistance or psychiatric help in which case, the State will assist by providing the funds to help.
Apart from medical and psychological check-ups, the children also see a Dentist as well as an Optometrist.
“It is just like being parents, you take care of the children the way any normal loving, caring parent would,” Mottram said.
When asked about how the children adapt to being in an environment such as that of the Home, Mottram explained that in most cases, the children settle in very well.
He said that children are very adaptable and have no problem settling down and fitting in with the other children.
Family and friends are welcome to visit the children at the Home but Mottram explained that visitations are supervised as a means of protecting the children, especially those taken from abusive homes.
The Children’s Home is partially supported by the Government but relies heavily on donations and fund raisers, some of which include art exhibitions, raffles and family fun run/walk.
“We are working very hard to find different ways of raising funds,” Mottram explained. Mottram refuted the rumours of the children not being taken care of properly, stating that the little ones are perfectly fine at the Home because the adults there are gentle, loving and caring.
He said that the Home was established as a safe house for kids who are in need and it will remain that way – safe.
