Petrina Francis
and Tyrone Reid , Staff Reporters
Bertrand Bainvel, Representative of UNICEF speak to Mary Clarke, Children's Advocate, during the launch of the 'State of The World's Children Report 2006', and Situation analysis on excluded children in Jamaica at the St. Andrew Settlement Community Centre, Majesty Gardens, on March 15. - RUDOLPH BROWN/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE PRIVATE Children's Home Association (PCHA) has lamented that its members are not able to get birth certificates from The Child Development Agency (CDA) for the children in the care of the State.
In the interim, Children's Advocate, Mary Clarke, has pledged to launch a probe into the allegations. She told The Sunday Gleaner that no reports have reached her, but stressed that if that were the case it is a clear violation of children's rights.
"If they are not registered that is a great infringement because they have the right to a nationality," said Mrs. Clarke.
A spokesperson for the recently formed PCHA, which represents all the private children's homes, told The Sunday Gleaner recently that the process of attempting to secure the invaluable document from the CDA is an uphill task.
ISSUE OF BIRTH CERTIFICATES
"One of our big problems right now with the CDA, I suppose, is the issue of birth certificates," bemoaned the spokesperson, who spoke under conditions of anonymity.
She added: "The one thing that these children need almost more than anything else is their birth paper."
The spokesperson complained that their members are not able to secure any form of national identification for the wards of the State because they are not able to get the birth papers. The detriment of not having a birth paper is usually felt after the children leave the home.
The spokesperson added that the HEART Trust-approved trades in at least two of the institutions are in danger of being discontinued because they are not able to obtain the birth document.
"The HEART programme is ready to shut us down because they are demanding birth certificates for the children in the training and it is something we can't provide for them because we don't have the wherewithal," she lamented.
In response to the claims, Allison Anderson, chief executive officer of the CDA, said her administration has applied for the children's birth certificates. She noted that it takes time to get the certificates because of a number of issues. Ms. Anderson explained that there are issues relating to parents' names and other vital issues that the agency has to provide the Registrar General's Department (RGD) with, in order for them to get birth certificates.
Additionally, she pointed out that the CDA is only two years old and some of those children would have already been in the system prior to the existence of the CDA.
"But we are trying to get them now and the homes know about it," she said.
