Barbados Social Protection Report 2021

#Barbados, April 11, 2023 – The Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs (MPEA) is focused on transforming the social protection services in Barbados, so that no person would be left behind. The Ministry is aware that the Throne Speech (delivered on September 15, 2020), captured the essence of the new vision for this Ministry. The Throne speech focused on developing a system which would allow vulnerable families to be lifted out of poverty, to a point where these families could contribute to their communities. Essentially, a transformative approach would be employed, where vulnerable persons are moved from a state of dependence, to independence, to interdependence.

There is the awareness that Government cannot achieve this goal on its own and strategies will have to be utilised, to partner with various Non-Governmental organisations (NGOs), the Private Sector and faith-based entities. In the new approach, it is noted that “every social worker must become a first responder in the gathering of information and initial intervention, while reserving the role of specialist delivery of services as required by the specialists in the system.”

Critical to achieving this vision is the amalgamation of the four primary social service departments. These are the:

1. Welfare Department;
2. Child Care Board;
3. National Assistance Board; and
4. National Disabilities Unit.

The Barbados Social Protection Report has been prepared, taking into consideration the aforementioned factors. It highlights a number of pertinent social care services measures, which were adopted to assist the poor and vulnerable, especially during the height of the COVID 19 pandemic. This was a period where significant increases in the number of applicants to the major social service agencies were recorded.

Also of note, is the provision of information on the Ministry’s collaboration with the UN SDG Fund Joint Programme. This initiative was formulated with the intention of strengthening the national social protection system, to support integrated service delivery by:

1. improving institutional capacity; and
2. developing evidence-based, gender-responsive social and disaster risk management policies and legislation.

To download the Barbados Social Protection Report 2021, you may click here.