#KINGSTON, Jamaica – October 22, 2020 – The Ministry of Justice’s Victim Services Division (VSD) has received play therapy tools from the Jamaica National (JN) Foundation to be used as therapeutic aides in the recovery process for children who are victims of crime.
The provisions, valued $1 million, include
books, dolls, and puppets that will be used to outfit the play therapy area at
a VSD service point in Trelawny. They
were handed over during a virtual ceremony on Friday (October 16).
Justice Minister, Hon. Delroy Chuck, who
spoke during the ceremony, thanked the JN Foundation for the donation,
describing it as a “significant boost” to the intervention programmes
underpinning the healing process for children who are victims of crime.
“This
donation…will, no doubt, help to minimise incidents of trauma, and provide much
needed therapy,” he added.
Minister Chuck also commended the VSD
for its innovative response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, through the
continued provision of client support virtually.
The VSD has
expanded its operations by offering e-counselling services, audio-visual
communication such as videoconferencing and virtual meetings, to provide
real-time therapy and consultations.
Director,
Osbourne Bailey, said the unit has responded to the challenges posed by the
pandemic by moving much of its client interactions online, to facilitate the continued
providing counselling services for children.
“These tools can be used face-to-face or in e-counselling. It is the counsellor who will be using the tools to work with the children. For example, we have anatomically correct dolls that will allow a child to explain if they have [inappropriately touched]. These items can be used virtually as well as in-person, because we still see some clients while observing [physical] distancing and safety protocols,” he said.
Mr. Bailey also thanked the JN Foundation
for its support, noting that “the
provision of counselling for children requires specialized resources”.
This, he
added, “because children require a medium that will allow them to communicate
in a language familiar to them, and play is language of communication for a
child”.
JN
Foundation General Manager, Onyka Barrett Scott, said proceeds from the entity’s
annual ‘Heroes in Action’ Run/Walk were used to procure the play therapy tools.
“With this
donation, which includes furniture to help outfit the play therapy room, we
have no doubt that this will help the VSD to better administer counselling to
children exposed to trauma and crime,” she said, while lauding the agency for
its stellar work “at such a critical time in our society”.
The Victim Support
Division provides therapeutic intervention for persons impacted by crime,
through its network of 14 parish offices.