Child Affairs Division provides training to state-home caregivers

THE Office of the Prime Minister, Gender and Child Affairs Division hosted a training session for caregivers in state homes on April 17 in commemoration of Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The virtual session titled Protecting Our Future: Strengthening Caregiver Skills to Prevent and Respond to Child Abuse, equipped around 200 caregivers with the necessary tools to support and protect vulnerable children, as well as self-care strategies they could use to maintain their own emotional and physical balance.

Experts in child protection, mental health, and health and wellness facilitated the training which covered topics including trauma-informed care by psychologist Sanjeev Bahadursingh, conflict resolution and positive discipline strategies by Leah Paddier Harvey of Gender and Child Affairs, and practical self-care strategies for caregivers by founder of the Health Advocate Club Gillian Stafford.

A statement from the division said the session hoped to address the lack of access to specialised training by:

• equipping caregivers with essential knowledge on child trauma and its behavioural effects,

• providing strategies to create emotionally safe environments for children,

• promoting conflict resolution and positive discipline practices in state homes, and

• offering self-care techniques to help caregivers prevent burnout and secondary trauma.

“The Gender and Child Affairs Division understands the crucial role that caregivers in state homes play in shaping the lives of vulnerable children in TT. By enhancing the skills of caregivers, this training will improve the overall well-being of children in care while ensuring a more supportive and understanding caregiving approach.”