Church leaders in Anguilla and other persons involved in leadership were at a two-day workshop this week, at the Teachers’ Resource Centre, which dealt with safeguarding children on the island and in other Overseas Territories.
The workshop was conducted by John Warwick with assistance from Sister Patricia Farrell of the Wesleyan Holiness Church in Leeds where they both live. She is a professional Child Protection Trainer. “I am working on a project funded by the British Department for International Development called ‘Safeguarding Children in the Overseas Territories,” Mr. Warwick told The Anguillian. “I have been working now with the Government of Anguilla for two years on developing policies and procedures I am sure will ensure that children are safeguarded.
“The project is working on other islands in the Caribbean. We are working on Montserrat, British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands. We are safeguarding children at the extreme end: from abuse of any sort, whether physical abuse, sexual abuse, drug abuse. We are safeguarding them in the community so that economic policies, planning policies, infrastructural policies can all consider what the impact of these policies on children is.”
Mr. Warwick is working, in Anguilla and the other Caribbean Overseas Territories, from his base in the United Kingdom. He visits the islands once every three months spending about two or three days on each territory. During the intervening period he keeps in touch with those he is working with via the internet or by telephone.
He said this week’s two-day workshop was for pastors and church leaders. “It is designed to involve the church in the issue of how to safeguard our children better,” Mr. Warwick explained. “Up to now we have been working with Government officials, social workers, teachers, the police, health personnel, the probation service and anybody having something to do with children and families. The pastors are an absolutely key factor on the island in relation to family life and how children are brought up. So it is very important that we engage with this group.”
Mr. Warwick said the response of the pastors was encouraging.
(Source http://www.anguillian.com/article/articleview/10294/)
