The team working towards the ‘child safety code’.
PHILIPSBURG--A “child safety code” is in the works for implementation by the Court of Guardianship St. Maarten, with the technical support of UNICEF the Netherlands.
Once implemented, the code will serve as a guideline for professionals to ensure the rapid detection of possible child abuse to provide support to the child and family, according to a press release issued by UNICEF the Netherlands on Thursday.
Additionally, the code would help ensure that reports of suspected child abuse in St. Maarten are better streamlined between all relevant departments, such as the Court of Guardianship, Police Department, Foundation Judiciary Institutes St. Maarten SJIS, schools, medical centres and other institutions that offer family services. According to the release, this is in line with Article 243d of the Civil Code of St. Maarten.
“The success of the child safety code and related programmes relies heavily on the cooperation between these institutions. Teachers, police officers, medical personnel and other child-care professionals are often the first to be able to detect signs of suspected child abuse,” explained Neidi de Carvalho, Child Protection Specialist for UNICEF the Netherlands. “They, therefore, also have a responsibility to offer much-needed emotional support to children in those difficult situations, or report when necessary.”
Aside from establishing the legal frameworks and working agreements between relevant parties to implement the child safety code, the Court of Guardianship and UNICEF the Netherlands will also roll out supporting programmes, including Child Check and Handle with Care. According to the release, these programmes will strengthen the identification, reporting, and follow-up of suspected child abuse cases on St. Maarten, especially in institutions that work with children or parents.
Kimberly Dort-Brown, Head of the Court of Guardianship said that during consultations with relevant stakeholders, many professionals had indicated that the communication between departments and follow-up related to suspected child abuse cases needs to be improved. She explained that the child safety code, Handle with Care and Child Check will offer a more efficient and reliable system for reporting. “Our top priority is to work towards a safer St. Maarten for all children by enhancing collaborations and introducing uniform procedures for all professionals,” she said.
In Aruba, the Departamento di Mucha y Hoben/Department of Youth and Family Affairs DMH implemented its own “Codigo Di Proteccion” last year. To learn from this process, Dort-Brown, on behalf of the Court of Guardianship, and De Carvalho, on behalf of UNICEF the Netherlands, made a four-day working visit to Aruba. Their visit was curated by the DMH, whose specialists elaborated on the overall implementation and sustainability of the “Codigo Di Proteccion” in Aruba.
Several other institutions that play a role in the execution of the child safety code in Aruba were also visited, including the Aruba Police Force KPA, Stichting Katholiek Onderwijs Aruba, Bureau Sostenemi Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting, University of Aruba, DVR (Directie Voogdijraad), Dr. Horacio Hospital and “Telefon pa Hubentud” (Youth Helpline), amongst others.
The main objective of the visit was to gain knowledge, best practices, advice and inspiration regarding the process, procedures, workflow, legal framework and implementation phase from the beginning to where Aruba currently stands.
The release said the gathered insights will assist in developing and implementing the child safety code on St. Maarten. “I’d like to thank the Departamento di Mucha y Hoben and their partners for their assistance in facilitating a successful working visit to Aruba,” said Dort-Brown.
This activity is part of the Child Resilience and Protection Project (CRPP) executed by UNICEF the Netherlands in collaboration with the Government of St. Maarten, financed by the Government of The Netherlands, through the St. Maarten Trust Fund, managed by the World Bank.
