CHILD CARE AND PROTECTION/FOSTER CARE …caribbeanfostercare.com/files/ANTIGUA.pdfChild Care and Protection/Foster Care Unit • Staff Compliment of 17 (10 of whom are frontline workers)

MINISTRY OF HEALTH, SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION MINISTRY OF HEALTH, SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION AND CONSUMER AFFAIRSAND CONSUMER AFFAIRS

CITIZENSCITIZENS’’ WELFARE DIVISIONWELFARE DIVISION

REDCLIFFE STREET & CORN ALLEYREDCLIFFE STREET & CORN ALLEY

ST. JOHNST. JOHN’’S, ANTIGUAS, ANTIGUA

CHILD CARE AND CHILD CARE AND

PROTECTION/FOSTER CAREPROTECTION/FOSTER CARE

ANTIGUA & BARBUDAANTIGUA & BARBUDA

General InformationGeneral Information

• Antigua and Barbuda is a twin island state

comprising of 108 square miles

• Estimated population is 87,000 persons

• It is estimated that non-nationals comprise

of approximately 1/3 of the population

• Citizens’ Welfare Division is the

government agency responsible for Foster

Care and Child Protection

BackgroundBackground

• Citizens’ Welfare Division was established

in 1987

• Initially the Division catered to destitute

persons

• Currently there are three core units – Child

Protection and Family Services, Probation,

and GRACE Program (Government Residential Assistance and Care for the Elderly and Eligible)

Mission Mission

StatementStatement

• To promote the social and psychological

well-being of the Citizens’ of Antigua and

Barbuda through empowerment oriented

services of Social Work, Probation, and

Elderly Care support.

Child Care and Protection/Foster Child Care and Protection/Foster

Care UnitCare Unit• Staff Compliment of 17 (10 of whom are frontline workers)

• In 2008 there were 286 new cases requiring Social Service intervention on Child protection and family issues

• Presently there are approximately 88 children placed in Foster Care (Not including children placed in residential care)

• 42% Foster Children are Kin Foster Care(placed with family members)

• 54% are Female and 46% are Male

• Government support – monthly stipend, counseling, annual summer camp and Christmas party and gift giving

Challenges/BarriersChallenges/Barriers

• Limited Human and Financial resources

• Inadequate legislation/lack of Policy

• Effective monitoring

• Insufficient support services to biological parent

• Difficulty placing male and special needs children

• Lack of continuous training and support of staff, foster parent and biological parents.

The Way ForwardThe Way Forward

• Attending regional workshops (such as this) to build network and learn best practices in working with such a volatile population.

• The Division is currently in the process of developing a National Child Protection Policy with the assistance of the UNICEF. The outlined goal is to enhance legislation, policy and social service delivery in the Child Protection sector

• Develop a prevention strategy to reduce the number of children placed in foster care