Jamaica Child Welfare and Suicide Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What percentage of disability-adjusted life years due to suicide is reported in Jamaica?

0.6% (correct)

9.2%

1.1%

26%

Which of the following is NOT a possible emotional outcome for children who experience harm?

Distrust of adults

Enhanced self-esteem (correct)

Self-harming thoughts

Increased fear

What is the most common method of suicide among adolescents in Jamaica?

Poisoning

Jumping from heights

Hanging (correct)

Overdose on medication

What factor is positively associated with suicide ideation among adolescents?

History of self-violence Signup and view all the answers

Among Jamaicans, the suicide rate is approximately how many per 100,000?

9.2 per 100,000 Signup and view all the answers

Which group has a significantly higher incidence of suicide in Jamaican adolescents?

Males aged 10-19 Signup and view all the answers

What impact can addiction in parents have on children?

Neglect of needs Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a mental health disorder resulting from child abuse?

Post-traumatic stress disorder Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of a child according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child?

Every human being below the age of eighteen years Signup and view all the answers

What role do organized societal institutions play in the modern child welfare system?

They provide alternative care when family structures break down Signup and view all the answers

Which component is NOT part of the child protection system as defined by the UN?

Educational programs for parents Signup and view all the answers

According to Crawford-Brown, who typically provides guidance and care to a child?

Family members, including parents Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of the Jamaican population is made up of children under 18 years of age?

33% Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of the child welfare system?

To provide alternative care for children in need Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is crucial for the interactions within the child protection system?

The engagement of actors at various levels Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the child protection system?

To prevent and respond to violence, abuse, and neglect Signup and view all the answers

What tragic event led to the establishment of the Amber Alert type system in Jamaica?

The abduction and murder of Ananda Dean Signup and view all the answers

Which Act grants authority to the court to consider the welfare of the child as paramount when making custody decisions?

Children’s (Custody and Guardianship) Act Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the responsibilities of parents outlined in Section 9:2a of the Juveniles Act?

Providing food, clothing, and medical care Signup and view all the answers

What agency is responsible for administering the Children’s (Custody and Guardianship) Act in Jamaica?

The Family Court Signup and view all the answers

What issue is highlighted regarding the current enforcement of laws for child protection in Jamaica?

Laws are not being enforced adequately Signup and view all the answers

What role does civil society play in the Amber Alert system introduced in Jamaica?

It assists law enforcement in recovery efforts Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an objective of the Children's Services in Jamaica?

Providing educational resources Signup and view all the answers

What has led to a lack of confidence among children regarding their protection under Jamaican law?

Inconsistent application of laws Signup and view all the answers

What is an outcome of emotional abuse experienced by children in violent homes?

Higher risk of not having basic needs met Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered a form of physical abuse?

Shouting at a child Signup and view all the answers

Child trafficking primarily involves what type of actions?

Recruitment and transportation under coercion Signup and view all the answers

How many cases of child neglect were reported to the National Children’s Registry in 2021?

4,530 Signup and view all the answers

What defines sexual abuse in the context of child protection?

Engaging a child in sexual activity through coercion Signup and view all the answers

Which of these is a common cause of emotional abuse?

Name calling or teasing Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the risks faced by children who are abandoned or placed in welfare systems?

Vulnerability to human trafficking Signup and view all the answers

Which behavior is an example of physical abuse?

Shaking a child violently Signup and view all the answers

What factors contribute to individuals being willing to take great risks in dangerous situations?

Previous emotional or physical abuse Signup and view all the answers

In which locations is sex trafficking of Jamaican women and children known to occur?

Streets and nightclubs Signup and view all the answers

Which group is reported to be particularly vulnerable to sex trafficking in Jamaica?

LGBTQI+ youth in poverty-stricken areas Signup and view all the answers

What is one form of exploitation faced by children sent to live with affluent relatives?

Forced labor in private households Signup and view all the answers

What defines child labour according to the content?

Work that interferes with children's schooling and is harmful Signup and view all the answers

What term refers to children who are uncontrollable and consistently get into trouble?

Children in need of care and protection Signup and view all the answers

How many reports of missing children were made to the OCR from 2007 to 2015?

70,479 Signup and view all the answers

What is one approach suggested for addressing child harm issues?

Forming coalitions with willing parties Signup and view all the answers

What has contributed to a distorted perception of child abductions?

Intense media coverage and public safety organization responses Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following reflects a criticism of 'memorial crime control' policies?

They may be wasteful or counterproductive. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary intention of the AMBER Alert system?

To solicit citizen tips to aid in rescuing abducted children Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best describes the effectiveness of the AMBER Alert system?

It serves to symbolically address a constructed problem rather than solve it. Signup and view all the answers

What term refers to the exaggerated societal fear surrounding the threat of stranger-predators?

Moral panic Signup and view all the answers

Which policy is an example of a reaction to the perceived threat of child abductions?

Enhanced sex offender registration requirements Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following does NOT contribute to the myth of child abductions?

Actual statistics on child abduction rates Signup and view all the answers

The term 'three strikes-and-you're-out' primarily refers to which type of legal measure?

Repeat offender sentencing laws Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Child Welfare and Protection

This presentation covers Caribbean social issues, specifically child welfare and protection.
Objectives include defining "child," the overview of the child welfare system in Jamaica, poverty and the child, general violence against children, specific issues in Jamaica, types of child abuse, effects, and solutions.

Child Definition

A child is any human being under the age of eighteen years, according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
33% of the Jamaican population are children under 18 years old.
20% of the Jamaican population are aged 0 to 14 years old (Statista, 2023).

Modern Child Welfare System

The child welfare system is based on the fact that children are unique and depend on adult care for a prolonged period for support and guidance.
Guidance is provided by family, either both parents or one parent.
If there's a family breakdown, care is provided by extended family members.
If neither of the above avenues exist, organized societal institutions, like child welfare systems, provide alternative care.

Child Protection System (UN definition)

A child Protection system is the formal and informal structures, functions, and capacities used to prevent and respond to violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation of children.
It involves human resources, finance, laws, policies, governance, monitoring, data collection, protection and response services, and care management.
Different actors involved include children, families, communities, those working at sub-national/national/international levels.
The outcomes from relationships and interactions between these components and actors within the system are key components.

Child Protection System in Jamaica

The Government of Jamaica, with the help of ministries, departments, agencies, NGOs, and international development partners (like UNICEF), works towards the safety and protection of children.
The National Plan of Action for an Integrated Response to Children and Violence (NPACV), launched in 2018 and concluding in 2023, is a joint effort led by the Ministry of Education and Youth, supported by UNICEF.
This plan is based on a holistic rights-based approach to children's rights, participation, prevention, and protection at national and local levels.

Children Living in Poverty in Jamaica

Poverties in Jamaica are higher than the national rate of 3.5%:
- 15.7% of children live in poverty (2022).
- 1 out of 6 children live in poverty (2018).
- Extreme poverty among children is 4.3%.
- Extreme poverty among adolescents is 4.1%.
The pandemic (COVID-19) has impacted income for 80% of Jamaican households with children.
A rise in anxiety, fear, and frustration in children has been reported.
The Gross National Income per capita was $8,940 in 2020.
Child labor is a problem, with 38,000 children aged 5-17 involved in child labor (ILO, 2022).
Children are often exploited due to unemployment of parents.
Children live on the streets.

Violence Affecting Children

Violence is a significant challenge in Jamaica affecting children.
Children are exposed to violence in homes, communities, care institutions, schools, and online.
Jamaica has a high homicide rate (49 deaths per 100,000 in 2019).
Risk factors for violence include: normalization of violence, low education, youth unemployment, and discriminatory practices against women and girls.
85% of children experience legally permissible physical discipline by parents or caregivers.

Specific Issues Around Children

Wright and Weiss (1980) proposed 5 criteria for defining a social problem: observable, reportable, analyzed, solvable, with active involvement and efforts made to deal with the issue.

Child Abuse

Child abuse is any act or omission by a parent or caregiver that results in death, serious physical/emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation of a child.
Any act or omission that presents an imminent risk of harm to a child also counts as abuse.
Harm is any significant detrimental effect on physical, behavioral, psychological or emotional well-being.
Types of abuse include physical, sexual, emotional, and neglect.
80% of Jamaican children experience psychological/physical violence as discipline (UNICEF, 2018).
64.9% of children are bullied at school.
Girls represented a higher percentage of abuse cases reported.
Abuse occurs in homes, schools, and communities.

What Causes Child Abuse?

Reasons for child abuse are complex and include isolation, lack of support, stress, unrealistic expectations, developmental delays, intellectual disability/mental illness, lack of parenting skills, drug/alcohol problems, low self-esteem, and past experiences of abuse.

Effects of Child Abuse

Child abuse has significant lasting effects including learning disorders, developmental delays, eating disorders, physical ailments, injuries/death.
It may also cause violent/aggressive/criminal behaviour, drug/alcohol abuse, high-risk sexual behaviour, disrupted attachments, mental health disorders (like anxiety, attachment, post-traumatic stress, depression), and self-harm/suicidal thoughts.
Suicide rates due to disability adjustment in Jamaica are 0.6% compared to other Caribbean islands.

Child Abuse - Solvability?

Evaluation of whether a solution to child abuse exists involves examining active involvement of people in influencing others, and efforts (successful or not) in handling the problem.

Kidnapping and Abduction

Abduction and kidnapping are terms that are sometimes used interchangeably.
Kidnapping, according to common law, occurs when a person is forcibly abducted or taken away from their country to another.
Kidnapping also includes forced taking or detention without lawful authority, for ransom or political purposes.
Abduction is the unlawful interference with a family relationship (ex: taking a child without the involvement of the parent), regardless of the abduction victim's consent.
Media, public safety organizations have a role in shaping a public perception of child abduction that may not reflect the current frequency of these crimes.
Policies like the America's Missing Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER) Alert system aim to quickly rescue abductees.

Responses to Child Abduction (USA)

AMBER Alert, despite its ambitious goals, is seen as a form of crime control theater.
This is due to issues like the disproportionate attention drawn to abduction cases, less consideration given to other crime types, and policy failing to fully solve the problem.

Responses to Child Abduction (Jamaica)

Ananda Alert system in Jamaica is modeled on the American Amber Alert system, aiming to quickly rescue missing children.
Ananda Alert aims to better address the needs of missing children, with more effective community engagement.
Many horrendous incidents of child murder encouraged the establishment of the Ananda alert system in replacement of the Red Alert system.
The system actively mobilizes public/private sectors and community participation.

Jamaican Laws

Existing Jamaican laws provide frameworks for the physical and moral protection of children.
However, these laws aren't always effectively enforced.
Children often express a lack of confidence in the level of protection Jamaican law provides.

Jamaican Data

The National Children's Registry (NCR) was established in 2007.
It acts as a central point for recording, assessing, and referring reports of child abuse, neglect, and other matters deemed in need of care
Over 96,000 reports were made between 2007-2020.
Statisitcs on abuse cases often involve multiple types of abuse in cases reported to NCR.

Neglect

Neglect is a serious disregard for a child's care or discipline.
This includes failing to provide for basic needs like food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, and adequate supervision/hygiene.
Data shows that numbers of reports of Neglect are increasing in Jamaica.

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is non-accidental physical harm to a child, not limited to beating, burning, choking, kicking etc.
Numbers of reported incidents of physical abuse increased between various years.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse involves engaging a child in any form of sexual activity, without their knowledge or approval.
It includes involving a child in sexual activity by an adult or older child.
Figures show that sexual abuse is also a growing concern in Jamaica.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is the expression of words, attitudes, or behaviors that cause serious emotional/psychological damage.
Examples of emotional abuse include rejection, name-calling, bullying, yelling, criticism, isolation, and witnessing domestic violence.
Statistics point towards a marked increase in cases of emotional abuse across various years.

Child Trafficking

Child trafficking involves recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of a child using force, threat, fraud, deception or abuse of power.
Statistics show a significantly low rate of reported incidents of child trafficking across the years.

Children Who Exhibit Behavioral Problems

Children with behavioral problems are difficult to control and consistently get into trouble or misbehave.
A growing trend suggests an increase in reported cases of children exhibiting these types of behaviors year over year.

Children in Need of Care and Protection

Children who consistently get involved in various (mis)behaviours require support, care, and protection (whether they have exhibited behavioral issues or not).

Missing Children

Jamaica has a large number of missing children, with data available only for 2007 through 2015.

Solving the Problem of Child Harm

Addressing the issue of child harm requires a multi-faceted approach including legal frameworks (respect for parental responsibilities is relevant), opportunities for children's voices to be considered, addressing poverty/economic deprivation, forming coalitions, teaching children their rights, stopping the patronage of child labor and reporting suspected cases of abuse to keep children safe.

Sources

Information from various sources, including reports, studies, and organizations, informs the complete picture provided in this summary.

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Description

Test your knowledge on child welfare and mental health issues in Jamaica, focusing on suicide rates, emotional outcomes for children, and the impacts of addiction. Explore critical concepts related to child protection and societal roles in the welfare system.