JUNOR
THE HOMESTEAD Place of Safety in Stony Hill was officially reopened last week, following an extensive four-month renovation of the boys' home that cost an estimated $18 million.
The rehabilitation was a partnered initiative funded by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) and the Child Development Agency (CDA), which contributed 11 per cent of the cost of the project.
Delivering the keynote address at the dedication ceremony, Health Minister John Junor said it was fitting that the facility was being reopened during the month of May, which is being celebrated as Child Month.
"This edifice gives promise and new life and new hope for the boys who will pass through it and will go a far way in creating the kind of environment that will enable them to develop into useful citizens of this country," Mr. Junor remarked.
IMPACT
The Health Minister noted that notwithstanding the physical upgrading of the facility which is run by the CDA, "what is even more important is what go on within the walls of this building and how it will impact on the lives of our boys and in the future."
He further observed that both the Ministry of Health and the CDA have done much to further the impact of the landmark Child Care and Protection Act of 2004. The Act, he said, "seeks to address issues of childcare and protection in a holistic way. We have been pursuing reform measures aimed at creating a new deal for our children who are at risk, and enhancing the quality of life within all institutions."
The minister said the upgrading of the Homestead Place of Safety was consistent with the government's objectives of "not just providing shelter but enriching the life experiences of children in our institutions."
REVAMPED AMENITIES
Pointing to the revamped amenities now in place at Homestead, he said they comprised recreational areas, sport facilities, the refurbishing of the classrooms to facilitate a structured curriculum including academic subjects, skills training and the building of social and other skills based on the child's individual care plan.
The pilot model that is being launched at Homestead is to be replicated in other facilities operated by the CDA.
Besides the CDA-run institutions, the Health Minister said the operations of other state-run institutions had also been restructured.
"There is a new cadre of professionals who have been recruited to staff these facilities. New positions have been created for monitoring officers who, as the name suggests, will monitor what is happening in our homes to ensure compliance with the new policies and new standards that have been established," Mr. Junor informed.
Sixty children's officers were recently recruited, all meeting the minimum requirement of a first degree in social work.
