The National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC) implores parents to reach out to the entity for support to improve their parenting skills.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NPSC, Kaysia Kerr says the Commission has been doing fieldwork in communities across Jamaica; Kerr noted the Commission has an advanced network currently and is doing a lot of work through schools and even online. Ms. Kerr said that the Commission is working diligently to encourage better parenting practices to reduce all forms of abuse against the nation’s children.
“We are very hurt by the recent spate of abuse. We are unrelenting in our efforts to ensure that we work with other agencies that have the remit to ensure the safety of children,” she said.
She noted that the NPSC understands the importance of sensitizing parents on the cons of child abuse, and the need for and healthy environment for the development of children. Kerr said the Commission has a seen many cases where parents are intolerant of normal behaviours, which is often acknowledged through the Commission’s workshops or training sessions or by way of self-reporting by parents.
“Ignorance is what, I believe, accounts for much of the behaviours, because many times when we interview parents through our risk assessment to find out what the determinants of effective parenting are, we realise that they believe that they are actually doing the right thing,” she pointed out.
Ms. Kerr is imploring parents to contact the NPSC for information, support, and any other forms of assistance they may require. She says the NPSC continues the retooling and re-education process to make way for a cultural shift so that all Jamaicans will understand that the onus is on the nation to care for and protect our children.
