Child Development and Children at Risk in Saint Lucia. Volume I: a Review of the Needs and Services for Children

Child Development and Children at Risk in Saint Lucia. Volume I: a Review of the Needs and Services for Children

University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Research Centres, Institutes, Projects and Units Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family 2007 Child Development and Children at Risk in Saint Lucia. Volume I: A Review of the Needs and Services for Children Hornick, J.P.; Matheson, J. Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family Hornick, J.P., Matheson, J. (2007). Child Development and Children at Risk in Saint Lucia. Volume I: A Review of the Needs and Services for Children. Prepared for the Caribbean Development Bank. Calgary, AB: Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family http://hdl.handle.net/1880/107449 report Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND CHILDREN AT RISK IN SAINT LUCIA VOLUME I: A REVIEW OF THE NEEDS AND SERVICES FOR CHILDREN Submitted to: Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Submitted by: International Centre, University of Calgary Prepared by: Joseph P. Hornick, Ph.D., and Jane Matheson, Ph.D. August 2007 The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the International Centre, University of Calgary and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements .........................................................................................................ix 1.0 Introduction........................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Overall Objective of the Child Development Project .................................. 1 1.2 Purpose of Volume I Report....................................................................... 1 1.3 Methodology .............................................................................................. 2 1.4 The Context: Saint Lucia........................................................................... 3 1.5 Definitions .................................................................................................. 3 1.5.1 Child/Children.................................................................................. 3 1.5.2 Child at Risk.................................................................................... 3 1.6 Limitations.................................................................................................. 4 1.6.1 Timeframe and Budget.................................................................... 4 1.6.2 Focus Groups.................................................................................. 4 1.6.3 Facilities and Visits.......................................................................... 4 1.6.4 Management Information System Data........................................... 4 1.7 Organization of the Volume I Report.......................................................... 4 2.0 Risk Factors for Children in Saint Lucia................................................................ 5 2.1 Violence..................................................................................................... 5 2.1.1 Domestic Violence .......................................................................... 5 2.1.2 Juvenile Offending and Violence..................................................... 5 2.1.3 Focus Group Comments ................................................................. 6 2.2 Child Sexual Abuse ................................................................................... 6 2.2.1 Legislation....................................................................................... 7 2.2.2 Incidence/Prevalence...................................................................... 7 2.2.3 Self-reported Sexual Victimization .................................................. 8 2.2.4 Focus Group Comments ................................................................. 8 iii Page 2.3 Teen Pregnancy ........................................................................................ 8 2.3.1 First Intercourse .............................................................................. 9 2.3.2 Focus Group Comments ................................................................. 9 2.4 Parenting Skills .......................................................................................... 9 2.4.1 Family Structure............................................................................ 10 2.4.2 Corporal Punishment .................................................................... 11 2.4.3 Neglect and Abandonment............................................................ 11 2.4.4 Focus Group Comments ............................................................... 12 2.5 Substance Abuse..................................................................................... 12 2.5.1 Focus Group Comments ............................................................... 13 2.6 Poverty and Children ............................................................................... 13 2.7 Summary of Risk Factors for Children ..................................................... 15 3.0 Issues Regarding the Services and Programs for Children ................................ 21 3.1 The Division of Human Services and Family Affairs ................................ 21 3.1.1 Current Responses to the Problem............................................... 22 3.1.2 Social Protection Report (2005) Issues......................................... 23 3.1.3 Restructuring the Division of Human Services and Family Affairs ......................................................................... 24 3.1.4 Issues Identified ............................................................................ 25 3.2 Ministry of Education ............................................................................... 26 3.2.1 Early Childhood Education............................................................ 26 3.2.2 Primary Education......................................................................... 28 3.2.3 Vieux-Fort Primary Technical Institute .......................................... 28 3.2.4 Special Education ......................................................................... 28 3.2.5 Secondary Education .................................................................... 29 3.2.6 Tertiary Education......................................................................... 29 3.2.7 Skills Training................................................................................ 31 3.2.8 National Enrichment and Learning Program ................................. 31 3.2.9 Private Education.......................................................................... 31 3.2.10 Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) ..................................... 32 3.2.11 Issues Identified ............................................................................ 33 iv Page 3.3 Ministry of Health ..................................................................................... 34 3.3.1 Infrastructure of Services .............................................................. 35 3.3.2 Child Health .................................................................................. 35 3.3.3 National Child & Adolescent Health Program (C&AH) .................. 36 3.3.4 Special Initiatives .......................................................................... 37 3.3.5 Health Care Utilization by Adolescents ......................................... 38 3.3.6 Issues Identified ............................................................................ 38 3.4 Family Court ............................................................................................ 38 3.4.1 Goals and Objectives .................................................................... 39 3.4.2 Legal Jurisdiction .......................................................................... 39 3.4.3 Social Support Section.................................................................. 39 3.4.4 Issues Identified ............................................................................ 40 3.5 Juvenile Justice System........................................................................... 40 3.5.1 Rates of Offending ........................................................................ 40 3.5.2 Response to Offending ................................................................. 41 3.5.3 Boys Training Center (BTC).......................................................... 42 3.5.4 Probation....................................................................................... 43 3.5.5 Issues Identified ............................................................................ 44 3.5.6 A Final Comment on the BTC ....................................................... 45 3.6 Legislation and Administration of Justice................................................. 46 3.6.1 Issues Identified ............................................................................ 47 3.7 Summary ................................................................................................. 47 4.0 Strategy for Addressing the Issues..................................................................... 49 4.1 Summary of Issues to be Addressed ....................................................... 49 4.2 Guidelines for a Strategy ......................................................................... 51 4.2.1 Guidelines for Prevention.............................................................. 51 4.3 Summary of Concurrent Government Initiatives .....................................

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