Parents abusing children for SEA success

CHILDREN'S Authority director/CEO Safiya Noel says some parents are abusing their children in a push for success in the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exam.

She was speaking today during the launch of Child Abuse Prevention Month under the theme "Strong and Thriving Families" held at the authority's Port of Spain offices.

"We have the SEA exam coming up on Thursday and you have heard clinicians speaking in the public domain about the negative impact it has on our children.

"So we want to encourage parents to speak to their children, encourage them, say that you believe in them, that you have faith in them. If they do not pass for their first choice there is a tomorrow. It doesn't mean that you have a stupid child, it doesn't mean you have a child who's not intelligent, it doesn't mean you do not have a challenge that would not be successful."

She said many people in the country did not pass for their first choice but are successful citizens contributing to society.

"So this time could be a very difficult time for parents and children. And often parents find themselves abusing their children in the vein of trying to cause them to be successful." She said the authority cautioned parents to utilise self-control and seek help if they need to.

"But do not put out your frustrations on the children." Noel said the top three categories of abuse are reported are sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect but for this awareness month the authority wanted to highlight other forms such as emotional and psychological abuse which is sometimes very difficult to detect.

"And very often as parents, guardians, caregivers and teachers we inflict without recognising that we have done it. So we want to increase the public's awareness of child abuse and the different forms of abuse because we want to build strong families."