NPSC CEO urges parents to stay vigilant in protecting their children during festive season

Kaysia Kerr, Chief Executive Officer of the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC), is urging parents to be vigilant in ensuring the safety of their children as they celebrate the festive season, even within their homes.

Kerr cautioned that potential threats could come from close acquaintances and relatives who will be in the home and in the company of children.

“We are asking parents to be vigilant while hosting parties at home because sometimes the people who harm or hurt children are right there in the home. They're friends of the family, even relatives, so it's important for parents to always know where their children are and what they're doing, even as we try to accommodate experiences that will build family traditions,” she said.

Noting that children will be among the attendees at public events, Kerr further stressed the need for parents to exercise greater care.

“Sometimes, when more than one adult accompanies children to a function, you may think the other adult has the child, when in fact the child may have wandered off,” Kerr pointed out.

Her remark follows the case of two children who were reported missing after attending the St James Municipal Christmas tree lighting ceremony earlier this month in Sam Sharp Square, Montego Bay.

The children, a 14-year-old girl, Kimoya Gordon, and her 10-year-old brother, Recali Smith, were heading to the bus stop with their grandmother when they disappeared.

The children were later reunited with their family, and it was revealed that the teenage girl had been staying with a friend.

According to Kerr, it is important for children to understand boundaries, and that they should not wander off but should always remain in the line of sight.

In the meantime, the NPSC head, while expressing concerns about the number of children whose lives have tragically ended over the years, urged Jamaicans to use the Christmas period to reflect on their roles in ensuring the safety and protection of the nation's children.

“As we celebrate and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, we must think about who we are as a country and what direction we want to go in, because there is an opportunity here for change,” Kerr said.

She also appealed to Jamaicans to unite as a community and not only condemn the child offenders who are causing harm and have themselves experienced harm, but to also say, “Enough is enough. Let us get it together because we are a country of great potential, and a major part of what needs to happen for the future of this country is ensuring that we preserve our children and treat them with the kindness and dignity they deserve.”

Kerr further emphasised the importance of allowing children to flourish.

“We need to create situations where our conscience guides us, and we understand that we all have a duty to care for our children and allow them to grow up, thrive, and navigate that important phase called childhood.”

“Children must be given space to grow up and become who they are intended to be, and it is unfortunate that, many times, the threat to our children comes from adults within the communities and homes who are supposed to be looking out for their best interests,” Kerr added.

Kerr, in the same vein, also extended condolences to the families who have lost a child and are navigating the difficult process of grieving.

- Tanesha Mundle

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