The Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) is celebrating children in State care during Child Month in May.
Speaking with JIS News, Chief Executive Officer of the CPFSA, Laurette Adams Thomas, said that Child Month provides an important opportunity to shine the national spotlight on the needs, hopes, and potential of Jamaica’s children.
She noted that several activities will be held at the national, regional, and parish levels under the theme: ‘Prioritize our Children’s Mental Health: Strong Minds, Safer Future.”
“This year, with the focus on children’s mental health, the CPFSA has intentionally planned activities that create spaces where children feel encouraged, supported and empowered, while also reminding adults of their responsibility to protect, guide and nurture the next generation,” Mrs. Adams Thomas said.
The month-long programme commences on Sunday (May 3), when the agency joins the National Child Month Committee (NCMC) at its annual national church service at the Maranatha Gospel Hall, Deanery Road, Kingston.
The CPFSA will participate alongside other child protection stakeholders and will mount an information booth to connect members of the public with details about the agency’s services.
On Monday (May 4), the CPFSA will launch season two of its child protection television series ‘Pickney Sense.’
The series, which focuses on keeping primary school-aged children safe at home and school, will be aired on Television Jamaica (TVJ) throughout May and beyond. The agency will also participate in Read Across Jamaica Day on Tuesday (May 5), with representatives reading to children in schools across all parishes.
The CPFSA’s Child Month activities will be highlighted by the staging of Boys’ and Girls’ Empowerment Day events across its four regions, featuring motivational talks and engaging activities designed to inspire and empower participants.
The Western Region will host its event on May 15 at the Granville Place of Safety in Trelawny; the South-East Region on May 21 at Hope Gardens in St. Andrew; the Southern Region on May 22 at the Wembley Centre for Excellence in Clarendon; and the North-East Region on May 27 at the St. Mary Anglican Church Hall in Port Maria. In recognition of National Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day on May 28, the CPFSA will host a free public webinar titled: ‘Protecting and Promoting Mental Wellness in Jamaica’s Children.’
The session will target parents and caregivers, offering insights into factors that affect children’s emotional well-being, early warning signs of mental health concerns, and practical prevention strategies. Guidance will also be provided on accessing CPFSA services to support children’s mental wellness.
The CPFSA’s Child Month activities will conclude on June 3, with the Southern Regional Youth Forum on Missing Children, hosted by the Ananda Alert Secretariat.
The forum, which follows International Missing Children’s Day on May 25, will engage approximately 200 students, teachers, guidance counsellors, and child protection stakeholders from Manchester, Clarendon, and St. Elizabeth.
Participants will explore youth-centred solutions to the issue of missing children, examining causes, risks, and strategies for prevention and recovery. Mrs. Adams Thomas told JIS News that the CPFSA’s Child Month programme has been carefully designed to combine celebration with purpose.
“We take children’s mental wellness seriously and we recognise that emotional well-being is essential to their healthy development. Through these initiatives centred on education, youth engagement and child protection, our aim is to ensure that children are not only recognised during May, but are meaningfully invested in and prioritised throughout the year,” she said.
