Another orphanage

January 28, 2010

Dear Sir,

I agree with Government's proposed anti-gang and anti-gun legislation to a degree and commend them for trying to pull out all the stops, albeit way too late. However, the proposal to fine parents for negligence is simply not going to work. If you fine them and then they can't pay and you lock up the parents as a result, then who is going to be minding the child that caused the fine to begin with?

We seem to throw our money at solutions geared to helping people when they have already reached an age of almost no return. To my knowledge there is only the Sunshine League Home and the Brangman Home that offers a safe haven for children living in abusive or neglectful situations. Both facilities only have space for a limited number of children and I think the Sunshine League houses just boys. Yet we have 100s and 100s of children living in socially unacceptable dysfunctional conditions, exposed to incest, sexual exploitation of mother's boyfriends, substance abuse, witnessing or experiencing domestic violence, being neglected and living on the edge of despair.

Early intervention agencies such as PRIDE, the Family Learning Centre and Youth Counseling Services are available and integral, but not enough.

It would be in the best interest of our society if Government would spend the $800,000 proposed on a study of the Hamilton and St. George's municipalities (near-nationalisation of near-private enterprise) and redirected it to purchase a facility for the purpose of establishing an additional orphanage for children at risk.

CHERYL POOLEY

Smith's