Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 17, 2016 News
A two-day workshop aimed at improving the quality of foster care in Guyana was held at the Regency Suites Hotel, Georgetown last week.
The seminar, held last Friday and Saturday, was conducted by Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence and officials from the Child Care Protection Agency (CCPA).
Minister Lawrence told the gathering that the Child Care and Protection Agency’s Foster Care programme is a relatively new initiative which is aimed at “providing family based care as an alternative to institutional care to our vulnerable children.”
She said the Agency firmly believes that family based care would provide a nurturing and supportive environment that would cater for the children’s special needs and promote their emotional and social development.
She added that the Agency is therefore firmly committed to advancing foster care in Guyana. It has therefore organised the workshop, “the outcome of which will be a better-informed core of foster caregivers equipped with the skills which will impact significantly and positively on the lives of our vulnerable children.
”I wish to encourage all our participants to use this seminar to interact and brainstorm, so that you derive the full benefit of this training.”
US based Guyanese Carol Trim-Bagot, who hosted the seminar, explained what foster care is, as well as the purpose and goals of the CPA in relation to fostering.
Bagot is a member of the Human Service Professional and International Facilitator on Foster Care to Guyana.
Fostering is the act of encouraging or promoting the development of a child who is placed in a caring and nurturing environment. While a foster parent is one who actively encourages and promotes the development of someone (child) in a safe, secure and nurturing environment.
“Foster care is the Ministry of Social Protection’s advocacy and as we transition from institutional care, we must clearly understand our roles if we are to enable our disadvantaged children, entrusted in our care, to move beyond their traumas and make healthy, independent connections into adult life”.
Trim-Bagot, also educated the gathering on the necessary tools that are needed to identify children’s strengths and care.
The audience which included foster parents was informed about issues related to the health and safety of children, as well as the emotional well-being and social and psychological needs for the children in their care.
The Childcare Protection Agency Act was established in 2009 and came into force in May 2010. The initiative is to be proactive in the protection of children who are abused in any way, vulnerable, in an unsafe or unhealthy situation and those that are neglected or abandoned.
The CPA has to ensure that the Protection of Children Act 2009 is enforced.
A release by the CPA stated that the Foster Care programme “is aimed at providing family based care as an alternative to institutional care to our valuable children.
“Our children are our top priority and it is our responsibility to place them in a safe environment given the unique and peculiar circumstances that cause their separation from their biological families.
“We must be aware of the challenges and we must ensure that our caregivers are familiar with the best practices and are in possession of the relevant knowledge and skill base.
“The seminar provides a wonderful opportunity for all our stakeholders to standardise so that they can enhance the level of foster care.”
The release noted that “fostering is very demanding as it requires patience, dedication and coping skills with the many challenges that are presented.”
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