NGO Train Managers Of Orphanages On Safeguarding Children
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in partnership with an NGO, SOS Children Village, on Thursday, trained 25 caregivers and managers of orphanages in the FCT on safeguarding and handling of children.
Mrs Justina Pawa, acting Secretary, Social Development Secretariat, FCTA, said during the training in Abuja, that the measure was to provide quality care for vulnerable children in orphanages.
Pawa added that the capacity building was to also equip the officials with acceptable norms in the care of vulnerable children in line with the United Nations approved standards of operation.
She explained that 20 participants were drawn from orphanages in the FCT while five were from the Department of Gender, Social Development Secretariat of the FCTA.
She said that the training was necessary to provide additional knowledge for caregivers and child welfare organisations operating under the FCT Administration.
This, according to her, will improve and secure the future of vulnerable children in the FCT.
“The role of care givers and child welfare organisations in the development and welfare of the child cannot be over emphasised, hence, the effort towards training them on the requisite ethics for safeguarding and handling of the children.
“The training is crucial as children in this part of the world faces a lot of dangers and unending abuse.
“This is largely due to increase in poverty, deprivation, traditional believes, illiteracy, culture, kidnappings and the inability of the children to access good and quality education and health care.”
The acting secretary said that child welfare and safety have always been a major focus of the FCT Administration.
“This is why the Gender Development Services and the Social Welfare Services were established to ensure that children in our homes and orphanages are safe, happy and comfortable like other children living with their parents,”she said.
She expressed the FCT administration’s resolved to make children homes and orphanages in the FCT the best in the country, through budgetary provisions to take care of children’s needs and welfare for uninterrupted growth development.
She thanked the NGO for the support and urged other organisations, development partners and other stakeholders to partner with the FCT Administration thoughts its relevant secretariats to provide the needed care to vulnerable children.
“This is critical because government alone cannot address the myriad of problems confronting children in the country” she said.
Earlier, the Coordinator of the NGO, Mr Felix Ebhota, said that the training was designed to empower caregivers and managers of child welfare organisations with requisite skills to create a safe and nurturing environment for children in need.
Ebhota added that the training was also to enhance participants’ abilities to address the unique challenges faced by vulnerable children.
He identified the key areas of the training as child development stages, psychological needs, importance of attachment and age-appropriate support for Children in their care.
Other areas, he said, include recognising and responding to child protection concerns, and well-being and safety of vulnerable children, including communication techniques that fosters healthy relationships with the children under their care.
Also, Mr Yahaya Attah, Deputy Director, Child Welfare in the Gender Department, said that the department would continue to partner and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to train and retrain managers of orphanages and caregivers.
NAN/Oyenike Oyeniyi
