Lisa Hanna announces big plans for kids in State care.....THE Government says it will begin implementing several targeted interventions to improve conditions for children and adolescents....The system, which will cost more than $50 million to implement, is slated for roll-out over the next three years

Friday, May 30, 2014

THE Government says it will begin implementing several targeted interventions to improve conditions for children and adolescents, especially those in State care, during the 2014/15 fiscal year.

These include the phased implementation of a child case management system; legislative reforms; transformation of the Maxfield Park Children's Home as a model care child facility; and therapy and counselling sessions.

HANNA… a child case management system will be introduced

Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna made the announcement during the media launch of the Child Development Agency's (CDA) 10th anniversary, at the agency's downtown Kingston offices on Wednesday.

She said that the Child Case Management System is designed to maintain accurate records of children taken into State custody at places of safety, until their departure from these institutions.

"You can monitor their academic records, their medical records, their extra-curricular records, their parents, all the details (and) you can also trace whether or not they have behavioural problems," the minister said.

The system, which will cost more than $50 million to implement, is slated for roll-out over the next three years, and will facilitate information sharing among the ministry's agencies, the CDA, the Office of the Children's Registry, and Office of the Children's Advocate.

This will also be extended to other child service entities, such as the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse and Children's Court.

The minister said this will assist case workers manage their loads more efficiently and keep better records of their children. more