CPFSA assisting mother and her children rescued from Caribbean Terrace during Hurricane Beryl
Published:Friday | July 5, 2024 | 5:31 PM
The Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) says that it has intervened and offered assistance to the children and their mother who were rescued from Caribbean Terrace in Harbour View, St Andrew during the passage of Hurricane Beryl.
A mother and her four children, ages seven, 10, 13 and 17, were rescued from their dilapidated house by representatives of the Ministry of Local Government and taken to a local emergency shelter.
Another mother and her child were also rescued from their dwelling and taken to the same shelter.
CPFSA CEO Laurette Adams-Thomas says once they arrived at the shelter the agency contacted the shelter manager to acquire their necessary information and remained in contact until members of its Investigations Team arrived to assess the situation and to act in the well-being of the children.
Adams-Thomas says in the case of the family with the four children, the three younger kids have been taken into the care of the agency.
The 17-year-old, who lives with her other parent in St Thomas, was visiting with her mother at the time of the storm and has since returned home.
Adams-Thomas says the agency has kept the three children together at a residential facility while the mother works on finding suitable living arrangements.
“We will also be offering whatever support we can to the mother through our Child and Family Support Unit,” she said.
Adams-Thomas said the other mother, who is also a resident of Caribbean Terrace, was however not living at the same dilapidated house but was living at a safer and more secure home in the community.
She said the agency conducted a home assessment at that location and determined it to be suitable for her and her child and they have since returned home.
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