The Anglican Church is on the verge of a massive community initiative – a nation-wide family support services system, expected to compete for pride of place with the church’s contribution to Barbados’ educational development in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Its high-profile Social Justice Commission is geting together with a number of government agencies and civic organisations, including the Child Care Board and the 35 000-member strong Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP), to establish island-wide Day Care facilities for the elderly.
Chairman John Goddard, a retired educator, said his commission also hoped the church would consider setting up “First Stop Centres” to deal with victims or abuse and abusers and that its initiative would ultimately lead to the establishment of a ‘Family Services Support Centre’, “equipped with resources to respond effectlively to conflict within families.
“The emphasis would be on tackling family violence and promoting peace and harmony,” added Goddard, a former senior master at Harrison Colege.
The Social Justice Commission, whose members include former Commissioner of Police Orville Durant, Attorney-at-Law Michael Alleyne, and Mental Health Consultant Sade Goddard-Durant, has been working the print, audio and visual media over the past year to sensitize offices of social agencies and members of clergy on the need for national family support services.
Source: http://anglican.bb/Content/Menu/FOV1-0001839D/S000B115E