A growing number of students in Jamaica’s inner-city schools are receiving therapeutic support under the Ministry of Justice’s Special Intervention Project for Schools, aimed at addressing the psychological toll of crime and violence in high-risk communities.
The initiative, led by the Ministry’s Victim Services Branch (VSB), delivers structured therapy sessions to children aged six to eighteen who are showing signs of post-traumatic stress, depression, or emotional distress. The programme is tailored by age group and is delivered in close collaboration with teachers and parents to ensure a comprehensive support system.
Director of the Victim Services Branch, Dionne Dawn Binns, explained that the project was developed not only to treat trauma in children but also to empower the adults in their lives with the tools necessary for ongoing care.
“In addition to being able to identify the trauma in our children, we want there to be a mechanism in place where they can get effective support,” said Binns. “So, we empower teachers and parents through a training component, to be able to effectively assist the children based on whatever needs they may have.”
Therapeutic support is not limited to students. Binns acknowledged that parents and teachers in violence-prone areas often experience similar trauma, prompting the project to include counselling and support services for adults as well.
“We also provide some amount of therapy to the teachers and the parents,” she continued. “Naturally, the parents and the teachers are also experiencing some of the things that the children are experiencing.”
The training element of the programme helps parents and teachers identify signs of trauma and implement early interventions. Participants are taught how to create safe, non-judgemental environments that allow children to express themselves and begin their healing journeys. Where additional help is needed, a referral system ensures children are connected to more intensive therapy services provided by the VSB.
According to Binns, this layered approach is essential to prevent regression and sustain the emotional recovery of affected children.
“If that [support] is not in place, the child can regress. The child may not move forward in the healing process as they would, having had the support. It just leaves the child exposed because there’s no guidance and there’s no assistance.”
By training adults to support affected youth beyond the formal intervention, the initiative ensures that children have continuous care within their homes and schools.
The Victim Services Branch operates out of 14 parish offices islandwide and is the Ministry of Justice’s main arm for providing therapeutic services to victims of crime. Through this initiative, the Ministry is not only addressing the immediate impact of crime on vulnerable children but also building a long-term support framework to promote resilience and recovery across entire communities.
Stay informed with the latest news and updates from SKN Source! Click here to join our WhatsApp channel and get updates straight to your mobile. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook for more stories and insights!
Be the first to comment on "Jamaica Expands Trauma Therapy Support for Children Affected by Crime"