WESTERN BUREAU

Effective next January, the Child Development Agency will be rolling out a new three-digit emergency number for persons to report abuses against children.

The announcement was made by Alison Anderson, the chief executive officer at the Child Development Agency (CDA), as she addressed a large gathering of parents at a parenting seminar, sponsored by the Bank of Nova Scotia, held at the Montego Bay Community College, recently.

Child abuse

The new number is 211 "and this is for persons to report incidents or suspected cases of child abuse", Anderson said. The current toll-free number to report child abuse is 1888 PROTECT.

"I want to remind everyone that they have a duty to report matters of child abuse, which can be done through the Children's Registry. The message I want to send loud and clear is very simple, which is, if you see it, report it," she said.

She is urging adults to be very watchful on behalf of the nation's children and to educate themselves on the various types of abuses. She is also emphasising the importance for parents to encourage their children to speak up and speak out against child abuse.

Emphasising the need for children to be resilient, she said: "This is what gives children the ability to withstand challenges, be it abuse, socio-economic, physical or sexual challenges. Being resilient means they should be able to move away from being a victim to being a survivor."