Children's Authority confident homes will meet July 1 deadline

Acting director of the Children’s Authority Rhonda Gregoire-Roopchan says the remaining ten unlicensed children’s homes are “very close to the final stages” of becoming registered.

She said the authority will not “cast aspersions” by sharing the view that some homes may not meet this deadline.

Last December, the authority said there were 13 unregistered homes across the country.

These homes were given a deadline of March 2023, which has since been extended to July 1, 2023, to finalise its operations as the government will be making a proclamation on unlicensed homes.

Any such home would face a penalty as section 17 of the Children’s Community Residences, Foster Homes and Nurseries Act, 2000, will take effect, imposing a $10,000 fine and a $500 penalty for each day of continued operation without a license. Speaking to Newsday on Thursday morning, Gregoire-Roopchan said all homes are “working assiduously...

“We are also lining our interventions with the various ministries to provide the relevant support.”

Asked if there are any homes that will not meet this deadline, she said she would not say that.

“At this time, all homes are making significant progress, some more than others...

“We would like to give them the opportunity to be able to meet the deadline before we cast an aspersion on their abilities.”

She continued, “The authority has not said that any homes will not make the deadline. Our official statement is that we continue to work with them and they have been working very assiduously as well. Our efforts have not ended in any way.”

In addition, she told Newsday while it has not yet made any final decisions, the authority is “exploring options” with regards to finding a new location for the St Jude’s home for girls.

The home, currently in Belmont, experienced a fire which destroyed its second floor.

Earlier this week, other local media houses reported that the home will be moved out of Belmont.

Gregoire-Roopchan said, “We have not had a final position of if they’re going to go or where they’re going to go, but we have been exploring options for St Jude’s to be relocated at this time.

In early March, Ayanna Webster-Roy – Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Gender and Child Affairs – gave a list of homes and how close they were to getting licensed:

Chickland Children’s Home (91 per cent), Joshua Home for Boys (92 per cent), St Dominic’s (92 per cent), St Mary’s (89 per cent), Jairah (82 per cent), Lady Hochoy (79 per cent), Marion House (85 per cent), Mary Care Centre South (88 per cent);

Casa de Corazon (91 per cent), Ferndean’s Place (76 per cent), Cyril Ross Nursery (79 per cent), St Jude’s (70 per cent). She said Operation Smile was marked for closure, while Margaret Kistow Home has no children who are wards of State.

She added that the Transitional Home for Migrant Girls was recently opened and needed a fire and a public health certificate, but did not say how near it was to compliance towards getting licensed.