The Ministry of Health and Social Services, in collaboration with UNICEF and the Red Cross, is conducting a special series of training sessions dubbed the Stewards of Children – Darkness to Light. These sessions were designed to create more awareness of the need of Child Protection Training, with specific focus on Child Sexual Abuse in the Anguilla context.
The series, which is currently in progress, started at the Dominion Faith Church on the night of Monday, November 19th. The first session was designed particularly for pastors and church leaders, and a modest group of church officials benefited from the opening session.
The sessions are conducted by Mrs. Kiesha Gumbs-Bibby, of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, and the training is facilitated by Ms. Jennyville Smith, Certified Trainer for the Stewards of Children: Darkeness to Light.
The training focuses primarily on children who may be in at-risk situations with regard to child sexual molestation, and the behaviour patterns of individuals who may be likely to sexually abuse children.
The Darkness to Light training programme provides tools and resources that educate and empower adults to prevent child sexual abuse, to recognize the signs and to take action to protect children. The training also highlights establishing policies and procedures in youth service organizations to protect children, and the preparation and implementation of Codes of Conduct for the said organizations.
