Association wants mandatory background checks for persons working with children

The Jamaica Association of Social Workers (JASW) is calling for mandatory background checks for locals and foreigners who intend to have direct interactions with vulnerable groups, including children, amid the current scandal gripping the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA).

The Office of the Children's Advocate (OCA) has released an explosive report knocking the CPFSA head, Rosalee Gage-Grey, after several wards were exposed to an American donor who was punished for indecent involvement with a minor.

In a media release on Wednesday, the JASW said its first concern was for the children and young persons whose violation was the antecedent for the report.

The JASW said it hopes that the relevant authorities ensured that they were provided with the support services needed to help them recover from the experience and move on to live productive lives.

However, the association wants to see systemic changes to prevent a recurrence of the breaches outlined in the OCA's report.

Among them is mandatory background checks.

The JASW suggested making amendments to the Child Care and Protection Act (CCPA) to allow for the Children's Registry to be used as a source for background checks to complement the use of the Sex Offenders Registry.

"The Children's Registry, established by the mandatory reporting framework enshrined in the CCPA is a wealth of resources, of which the Government of Jamaica is yet to take advantage," it noted.

The association is also calling for social workers and others to be held to professional standards.

The JASW contends that the Government has also not taken interest in the regulation of social workers.

It said, "JASW is currently awaiting a response to a proposal submitted to the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine in August 2021, for the Council to become the regulatory body responsible for the enforcement of standards of professional practice for Social Workers in Jamaica."

In addition, the association called for the CPFSA's internal policies, procedures and practices to be strengthened to safeguard Jamaica's children.

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