Partners team up to better protect children |14 October 2013

Different partners working towards child protection met on Friday to learn more about the importance of using a Risk Indicator Framework (RIF) form as a tool for early detection of risks so as to provide prompt intervention to improve support to children in need and their families.

The social affairs department in the Ministry of Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Education conducted the day-long training held at the Seychelles Trading Company (STC) conference room.
 
The training is in line with the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) plan of action of the department of social affairs. Community Development and Sports special adviser Dan Frichot launched the training.

Those taking part heard a presentation on the background of the RIF by Anne-Marie Bibi, the programme manager for child health in the Ministry of Health.

She explained in details how risk factors could be identified and the different types of risks which could cause setbacks in a child’s life.
 
In her presentation, Beryl Laboudallon, the chairperson of the ECCE technical committee in the social affairs department established the link between the RIF and the work of child protection being carried out as part of the social affairs department action plan 2013-2014.

She noted that for many people child protection is child abuse but she stressed that it is more than that.

“It is a set of government-run services designed to protect children and young people under the age of 18,” she pointed out, adding that it also includes working with families to preserve their stability.

She stressed that it is the social affairs department which is legally mandated to safeguard children’s wellbeing and therefore it should always ensure, with support from partners, that children are not abused.

“The social affairs department has been working with its partners but there is a stronger appeal and need to strengthen our effort by working closer together for more effective and improved outcomes to better protect children,” she said.

“If you are a housing officer, a teacher, a health worker, or a police officer everything that you will see relating to child abuse or mistreatment a social worker will also see. So why not work together and share information which would increase the likelihood of protecting children from risks?” Ms Laboudallon asked.

In his remarks to launch the training, Mr Frichot said the form is an important working tool which would help Seychelles put in place mechanisms and the necessary standards aimed at bringing about more effective solutions for the wellbeing of our children and support to their families.

“There is sincere commitment on the part of the government and all partners involved in the wellbeing of children in our country. A lot of investment is being made towards the development of our children and this is proof of the importance attached to the wellbeing and development of children – the future of our country,” said Mr Frichot.

He went on to note that Seychelles is among the first countries to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, has developed different action plans for the wellbeing of children and recent initiatives like the framework for Early Childhood Care and Education and the social renaissance are also placing more emphasis on children as the future of our country.

“It is important to recognise the needs of our children at a very early stage and make them priority in our planning,” said Mr Frichot.

He stressed it is for this reason that interventions for children’s wellbeing is applied as early as possible in order to be able to meet their continuous increasing needs.

“Often we look for solutions to problems after they have reached extreme proportions but the form demands that services are proactive to better ensure that no child is left behind,” he pointed out.  

Mr Frichot said the social affairs department has already tested the efficiency of the form in a trial initiative with the health department to assess children’s and families’ needs and the two have seen the need to bring onboard other key partners in child development.

Recognising that challenges still remain, Mr Frichot said that when working together it will be easier to find solutions to better address the needs of children and their families.

Mr Frichot called on all partners to renew their commitment towards the wellbeing of our children by ensuring that the form is used at all times in their different work places.

“It is only through your commitment and your desire to win for our children that we will be able to make progress,” added Mr Frichot.