Head of the Child Care & Protection Agency (CC&PA) Ann Greene has described the case of the 14-year-old who was allegedly prostituted by her mother, and was then sent to the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) after she had escaped from the agency’s care as reflecting a certain “uniqueness.”
Greene, who was reluctant to speak on the specific case when approached by the Sunday Stabroek, made it clear that the child was not sent to the NOC because she had escaped from state care, as this was not the first instance in which a child had left state care.
She explained that the magistrate had ordered a probation report which was done by the Probation Department and not the agency, and while she would not go into the details of what the report stated, Greene said it painted a picture to assist the court in making a decision.
“A lot of things needed to be taken into consideration at the time…the girl’s unwillingness to be part of the whole rehabilitation process… and I think all that would have come into play,” she said.
Greene said in making decisions relating to some young people the authorities may have to “save them from themselves,” because if they are predisposed to a certain lifestyle one encounter or a couple of counselling sessions would not make a difference. She emphasised that such a child is not safe because there are evil people who prey on young girls.
Observers have repeatedly criticized the operations of the NOC saying that instead of reforming the children, they would often return to society with serious issues that were not noticed before being sentenced. It was the CC&PA which had to move to the courts to have some girls from the NOC removed following reports of abuse. The girls were released into state care and have since been returned to their parents, while no charges were made out following the allegations.
And President of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) Simona Broomes had heavily criticized the authorities for sending the child, who was raped as toddler and then raped as teenager, to the institution. She had argued that the child needed help and time to heal as she had reported that her mother was taking her to have sex with men from whom she received payment.
The child was removed from the Mahdia area in January by the CC&PA and a source had confirmed that the agency had received similar reports and that the police were involved. The child had told the police that she would give the money paid to her by various men to her mother and it is believed that based on this information the police advised the mother that she could be charged with Trafficking in Persons (TIP).
While the mother denied prostituting the child, she did not deny that the child had not attended school for a while. For her part, the mother said that she is a security guard and hardly makes enough to support her six children, even with the help from the father of her two youngest. She said she had tried “everything” to help her only daughter, and wanted the best for her.
‘Uniqueness’
“Every case has its uniqueness, for the outsider you might feel it is a runaway girl but there is some uniqueness to this case…a lot of things have to be taken into consideration,” Greene told this newspaper in an interview.
She said work now would have to be done with the teenager and that systems and professionals cannot be condemned or attacked without the facts of a specific case being known.
“When you take a child into care is not just to leave the mother out, it must be that this child cannot remain with this mother and be rehabilitated; but if there is a case where we can put the child with the mother and work with the mother then we have to do that,” she explained.
She pointed out that the agency’s facility is not of a lock-down variety, as the children are sent to school, church and social activities while there, but the children have to be disciplined and must be trusted.
One of the arguments used by Broomes repeatedly is the fact that there are peculiar circumstances when it comes to victims of trafficking in persons and that there is legislation stipulating the steps which should be taken in giving them a second chance. She has argued that the victims should not be placed in homes for abused and neglected children because of the peculiarity of their circumstances; hence now the advocacy for a special home to be established for victims.
However, Greene pointed out that in the specific case of the fourteen-year-old, the child has not been classified as a victim of trafficking since the police are still investigating. The child’s mother said that the police indicated to her that they are investigating her and she would be placed before the court on trafficking charges, but this has not be done and she has been required to make periodic checks at Eve Leary. As it is, the case is being looked at as a child protection case.
According to Greene, the NOC is a place of rehabilitation for juvenile offenders and the child did offend at the time, but she was not sent to the institution because she had run away from care.
“We have children who run away and they are not sent to NOC,” Greene pointed out, while stressing that there was a probation report and the magistrate made her decision based on what was presented to her.
Greene stated that when a child is sent to NOC the “after care process steps in immediately,” which includes working with the family to prepare for the child’s return and also working with the child in conjunction with the authorities at NOC. The probation officer also has to work with the child and make visits to review her progress.
The child’s mother has five other children who have been placed with relatives by the agency, but Greene said that the agency will be working with the woman to bring her to a point where she could take over the responsibility of caring for her children. If the fathers are available they would also be involved.
“After-care begins from the time you are sentenced; it is developed during the time you are sentenced and it also continues about six months after you come out to facilitate the whole reintegration progress,” Greene said.
According to Greene there “are a lot of things” going on at NOC that the teenager could benefit from, observing that they have to use the resources that are available to them.
“What are the alternatives? To let her run away and then we don’t find her, or when we find her we find her [in a bad state]?” Greene asked.
Constructive criticism
While her organisation can use constructive criticism, according to Greene many times the agency is unduly criticized and sometimes maligned, and it is very difficult for staff who “do a lot of good work.” She admitted, however, that there are a few challenges adding that there are challenges all over the world.
The agency head called for more engagement with the communities as agencies survive on public trust, and one of their aims is to work more closely with communities as residents are the agency’s eyes and ears at the ground level.
Greene said her agency is open to collaboration with organisations such as the GWMO since child protection is a national activity.
“We at the agency, we are reaching out for collaboration because there would never be a comprehensive child protection system if we don’t have this collaboration going with all the NGOs, religious bodies, key stakeholders…” she said.
For her “petty differences” should be put aside and the “bigger picture” looked at. The bigger picture is the children, and if just one child at a time is saved, it could be a generation saved. More needs to be done to ensure that children are not made vulnerable and for some not to fall through the cracks, but everyone must take it on board.
Adoption
Meanwhile, Greene emphasised again that when a child is taken into alternative care it is a last resort, and should be for the shortest period of time possible. Work also has to be done with the family so that the child could be returned since that is the ultimate goal, but this depends on the child’s cooperation.
After four months in care the child becomes institutionalized, and Greene said this is what the agency attempts to avoid since the child misses out on being part of a family. While there is foster care which works wonders, Greene said even this is temporary and a permanent plan would have to be arrived at. One option is having the child adopted, which is done when all efforts have failed and there is no hope of the child returning to what was once their home.
“[Where] the dysfunction of the home is so high that the child is doomed to a life in an institution, then what you think would happen? The child would age out of the institution with no linkages to any family…and they don’t fare well,” Greene said. As a result adoption is being used as a real care option for children, although many times persons get emotional on behalf of the parents while not thinking of the effects on the child who is doomed to a life in an institution when they could be placed with a family.
Asked about a recent case reported by this newspaper in which a terminally ill mother complained of her child being placed for adoption even though she is working to have him reunited with her, Greene again while reluctant to comment on the specific case responded that it is still pending.
According to Greene the agency always looks at what is best for the child and while the mother is fighting the adoption process – which is still to be decided by the agency – there is a possibility that the child could age out. This she said will not be good for the child, and she gave the example of a young man who aged out of the system and is now sleeping in a bus because he has no family links.
“We don’t play games with the children; I am incorruptible and I am the head here…” Greene said, brushing aside suspicions that there may be some underhand transaction as it relates to the child, since a couple has already applied to adopt him because they bonded with him during the period he was in the Red Cross Convalescent Home as a baby and a toddler.
A hold is now on the matter and Greene pointed out that the Adoption Board has not ruled on the matter as yet and that the move to court was to remove the parental rights of the mother as stipulated under the Adoption of Children Acts 2009 and 2011. The matter was stayed according to Greene because of new information provided by the mother.
According to the legislation a parent could consent to the child being adopted, or if the child is 12 years or older they can also consent to be adopted. However, the court can also waive the requirement for the parent to consent if the child is abandoned, neglected or constantly ill-treated, or the parent cannot be found or is not capable of giving consent.
Greene argued that too many times the emphasis is placed on the mother when it should really be on the child.
“All the emotion has gone to the mother and little is placed on the child…” she said, adding that the agency would have to make the tough decision for the affected child.
She reiterated that even though institutions are not the best for children they are life savers, but should only be used for short periods.
