Minister Clarifies Psycho-Educational Programme
Minister of Youth, Families and Sports Glenn Blakeney moved to “clarify misconceptions made in a recent news report in reference to the children being assisted with overseas treatment in the Psycho-Educational Programme.”
Quoting unnamed sources, the report had suggested that the Department of Child and Family Services is bringing children back to the Island before they have completed their therapeutic treatment.
Minister Blakeney said that the Psycho-Educational Programme was designed to provide therapeutic and educational assistance to children who had a diagnosed illness that required professional services not available in Bermuda, or the children had exhausted all local resources offered in Bermuda.
The Programme is overseen by a Psycho-Educational Committee comprised of representatives from the Ministries of Heath, Education, and Youth, Families and Sports, and the Bermuda Hospitals Board through Child and Adolescent Services.
The 2010/2011 fiscal year the Department of Child and Family Services managed a budget of $3.1 million on behalf of the Psycho-Educational Committee, which was reduced to $2.1 million in 2011/2012, however the Minister said, “there is no correlation between the reduced funding and the number of children returning home.”
The Minister explained that since April 1, 2011 there have been 7 children discharged from treatment overseas. 3 of these clients aged out of the Programme, but completed their respective treatment programmes prior to returning home.
1 child was discharged by his mother, and now resides overseas with family. The remaining 3 children completed their programmes and are now being provided with aftercare services on island.
Minister Blakeney stated that “no child is returned to Bermuda before completing treatment, and without having an established aftercare plan.”
A spokesperson said, “Prior to children returning to Bermuda, the Department of Child and Family Services reviews the aftercare needs of each child with overseas service providers, and ensures the resources are available to provide appropriate continuing services as required.”
“Where necessary staff from a therapeutic school will accompany a child to Bermuda and provide assistance to the family as well as the school system to address the aftercare needs of the child.”
“Whilst the budget reduction has made the operation of this program more challenging, the Department of Child and Family Services has worked tirelessly with our overseas partners to ensure every child completed every aspect of their treatment plan.”
“To this end several of our partnering schools have offered our students scholarships as an added incentive to complete both their therapeutic program as well as meeting all academic requirements for their GED.”
Read More About
Category: All
