The Child Care Board (CCB) received a financial boost recently of over $10,000 from Nouvelle Vie Ticket Pal Inc., to assist with its Residential Care Community Reintegration Programme (RCCRP).

An initiative of the CCB???s Residential Care Team, the programme assists with the reintegration process of children who have been institutionalised at the Child Care Board for five or more years, primarily those who would have been admitted into care before the age of 10.

According to CCB Director, Joan Crawford, the RCCRP is aimed at ???establishing a relationship between the child and a family member or community contact in a manner that is geared toward the eventual discharge of the child from care to that person or family, preferably before the age of 18???.

???This reintegration is very important for the overall emotional and psychological well-being of the child, and minimises the uncertainty and stress a child may experience as he or she reaches the age of 18, the mandatory age of discharge from residential care,??? she stressed.

Counselling and support in the form of assistance in cash or in kind is also given on the child???s behalf to the family or person with whom the child would be residing. Such assistance is received via sponsorship from various community groups.

The funds were used to assist 10 children and families with necessary food items, accommodation expenses and assistance with school supplies. Another 19 children are also set to benefit from the programme over the next few months.

Ms. Crawford thanked Nouvelle Vie Ticket Pal Inc., as well as all corporate donors, individuals, churches and charitable organisations which assisted the CCB over the years.

paula.harper@barbados.gov.bb

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