Child Care Board calls for more locals to report child abuse Loop Barbados

The content originally appeared on: Barbados News

All corners of society are stepping up to report child abuse cases in Barbados.

Director of the Child Care Board (CCB), Roseann Richards was speaking to Loop News today at the second annual Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Walk when she shared that locals continue to “speak up” and “speak out”.

“After last year’s walk, we had increased reporting. However, I wouldn’t say that things are as they used to be before because we are getting calls from across the society – apart from the school, church, the home, [and] the family – members, generally in society, if they hear or see something and they are that conscious enough, they will but we would like to hear more of that,” Richards remarked.

The walk culminated Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month, which was themed “Speak Up, Speak Out, Report Child Abuse”. Clad in their blue t-shirts and carrying placards calling for the persons to report child abuse, staff of the CCB, children and parents walked from the CCB’s office at Cheapside, St Michael throughout The City, Bridgetown.

The CCB director explained the the walk aimed to sensitise the public to the differing forms of child abuse and encourage more citizens to speak out and report cases in the community.

“We are aware as the Child Care Board, the primary child protection agency, that child abuse is one those menaces that continues to impact our society and we are hoping to sensitise the public through this form of awareness about child abuse and all its forms.

“Our theme for this year is ‘Speak up, Speak out, Report child abuse’ and by doing this walk, we are hoping to sensitise persons about the various forms of abuse and get their support so when or if they hear of any instances, they will report it,” Richards stated.

She encouraged witnesses to contact the Child Care Board or the police.

The CCB director also urged children who are seeking mental health support to check out the MyChild Helpline app, which was developed to help children who didn’t know where to seek help or guidance.

The MyChild Helpline app is available on Google Play and Apple App Store.