Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, has lauded the hundreds of foster-parents in western Jamaica for their love and care to wards of the State over the years.

“We are grateful for the services that you provide and I want you to understand that you are critical and important to us and that our children need you and depend on you. You have been serving the most vulnerable among our people out of the love of your hearts,” he said.

Mr. Green was addressing foster-parents across the parishes of St. James, Trelawny, Hanover and Westmoreland on Thursday (September 15), at the West Jamaica Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Conference Centre in Mount Salem, St. James.

It was the second of three regional meetings being carried out in the western parishes by the Child Development Agency (CDA).

The State Minister said the Government is moving to strengthen the foster care programme. He noted that there are approximately 5,000 children in State care and the objective is to place as many of them as possible with families.

He said the Government strongly believes that the best place for a child is in a home where they can be provided with love, care and comfort.

The State Minister also pledged to address the concerns of the foster-parents.

“We want to  ensure that those of you who have been committed and who have been serving, that you continue and will be able to provide more love and care and that we can attract more persons to open their homes to assist more of our children,” he noted.

“I know that this has not been easy.  I know that in each and every one of your homes you face your own set of unique problems.  I know that a number of you are serving our children, who have gone through some very difficult times, and as such, it requires special skills and care to treat with a number of them,” Mr. Green observed.

The foster-parents, during an open forum, expressed their joy and satisfaction at raising children placed in their care and seeing them become special members of their families.

Source: Jamaica Information Service