Grace-Ann McFarlane has been appointed to act as the registrar of the Children's Registry, which will temporarily operate out of the Child Development Agency's (CDA) offices in Mandeville, Manchester.

Horace Dalley, Minister of Health, yesterday announced the appointment.

Mrs. McFarlane was the southern regional director of the CDA. A trained social worker and social development specialist, Mrs. McFarlane will act for three months.

According to Mr. Dalley, Mrs. McFarlane is "well-suited and qualified for the position." The minister further added that she has been integrally involved in the logistics and infrastructure planning for the registry and has done extensive work on the impact of a children's registry on child protection in Jamaica.

He said arrangements were being made for the permanent location of the Children's Registry headquarters.

It is expected that in the first four weeks of her three-month tenure, Mrs. McFarlane will recruit staff and effect training in critical areas such as call centre operations and software usage.

The Children's Registry will be the central point for receiving reports of children who have been or are likely to be abused, neglected, abandoned, exploited or are otherwise in need of care and protection.