BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – CHILDREN in St. Kitts and Nevis will have greater protection from abuse (sexual and physical) and neglect with the imminent launch of the National Child Protection Protocol.
Speaking exclusively to SKNVibes, Director of Child Protection Services Maurice Williams revealed that the protocol would provide a legal and administrative framework for the protection of children in the Federation.
The Director noted that although the reported number of child abuse cases had decreased last year in comparison to 2007 (from 116 to 91), the protocol was still necessary because these types of cases tend to be very underreported. He stated that the protocol would enable the various groups engaged in child protection services to function more efficiently.
“It would provide a platform for a more coordinated national response in relation to cases of child abuse and neglect. What is happening is that a number of different agencies are involved in the entire process. There are no clear lines of responsibility and duty; so a lot of overlapping occurs and consequently a number of cases are not solved. With the protocol, all the relevant agencies at the appropriate time would handle a case when it is referred to them,” Williams informed.
He however warned that measures such as proper resourcing and additional staffing would need to be instituted in order for the protocol to be effective.
“My Department currently has three Child Protection Officers who serve the entire country. For the protocol to be effective, we would definitely need more of them. The protocol must be well-resourced if it is going to help protect our country’s children.
“Its effectiveness would also depend on the Department’s ability to keep open communication between itself and the public. We already have the infrastructure for a 24-hour hotline, so we plan to create a line where persons can call with information after hours and their calls will be transferred to an Officer on duty,” explained Williams.
The Director could not give a definite date as to when the protocol will be launched but said his Department is aiming for “sometime in June”.
