Latest update April 17th, 2025 8:39 PM
Fathers have critical role in children’s upbringing – Child Protection Official
The roles and responsibilities of fathers were the primary focus when officials of the Child Care
Officers of the Child Care and Protection Agency. From left: Allison Thomas, Dawne McFarlane and Concheeta Gray
and Protection Agency conducted an Early Childhood and Development Seminar at the Campbellville Health Centre yesterday. The activity, which comes as part of the observance of the 2014 Child Protection Week, saw the attendance of a number of fathers from the Campbellville area, some of whom accompanied the mothers of their children.
According to Ms Concheeta Gray, Manager of Early Childhood Development at the Agency, moves were made to target fathers in light of the fact that “we recognise that fathers play an important role at the early childhood stage of a child’s development and throughout life.”
For this reason, she said that the Agency is looking to “get the fathers on board” in moulding their children in terms of instilling values into them and ensuring that they are available during the development process.
The Agency’s effort was well supported by the Health Centre’s Social Worker, Ms Nicole Cole, who, according to Gray, was instrumental in ensuring that a number of fathers graced the seminar yesterday.
“We had lots of mothers, but we had about 20 fathers, and to us that was a good sign, and a good feeling to know that the fathers came out to show that they are interested in their children’s health, protection and wellbeing.”
Gray who spearheaded the session yesterday, spoke extensively of the rights and responsibilities of parents, and even gave tips on good parenting practices.
The focus on fathers, according to her, was strategically tailored to address the fact that many fathers often take a ‘back seat’ role when it comes to their children.
Proud fathers with their children at the Campbellville Health Centre yesterday
“Some of them don’t come forward…they send the mothers to the front even though they are there, and so we find most mothers are taking their children to clinic; you would hardly see the fathers doing that,” said Gray.
But this should not be the case, she underscored, since two parents, and not one, are responsible for bringing a child into the world.
“Both of them have roles to perform to raise that child…children must know that regardless of the situations they are in they have two parents and those two parents will mould them and guide them,” said Gray as she pointed to the need to set the right foundation for early childhood development.
Moreover, another message that was amplified by Gray was that of the importance of safety and security for children, a child-rearing trait that should be practiced by both parents, regardless of whether they live together or not.
“You don’t have to be living together, once you play your role as father that is the important thing,” Gray told the men in the gathering yesterday.
The seminar, which was regarded as a success by Gray, also entailed a photo opportunity for fathers to share happy and memorable moments with their children.
Similar fora were held in Corentyne, Berbice, and at Parika, East Bank Essequibo, and, according to Gray, there are plans to host another such seminar at the David Rose Health Centre today. “We are looking to make this thing countrywide, where we encourage fathers to be a part of the upbringing of their children and where they can say ‘yes, I am a part of raising my child’ and the result that Guyana will have is a rounded child; a child who was moulded and this can help in terms of building quality families,” said Gray.
“As Social Workers we know that if there are strong families, we will have a strong society with better rounded children,” the Early Childhood Development Manager said.
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