Safety or red tape?

A spirited debate erupted during a sitting of Parliament’s joint select committee reviewing the Child Diversion Act on Wednesday, after Government Senator Sherene Golding-Campbell questioned why licensed psychologists, who are already vetted by their professional regulatory body, must undergo additional background checks before being allowed to work with children in the Child Diversion Programme. However, committee members, including chairman Delroy Chuck, argued that the additional scrutiny is essential because vulnerable children are involved, insisting that no safeguard should be overlooked when selecting professionals to work in the programme. The disagreement emerged as the committee examined provisions of the Act dealing with how counsellors and psychologists are approved to provide services under the Child Diversion Programme, which seeks to rehabilitate children who come into conflict with the law rather than exposing them to the formal court system.

Under the existing law, the minister is empowered to approve counsellors and psychologists for use in the programme. The legislation also requires standards and procedures to be set for the operation of diversion services. Golding-Campbell questioned whether that approval process was necessary for psychologists who are already licensed to practise under Jamaican law.

“If they’re registered under the Act, what is the purpose of a background check on a psychologist? I’m not understanding that,” she asked. BUCHANAN...argued that professional registration alone cannot guarantee that a person poses no risk to children.

Director of the Child Diversion Branch in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Venisa Clarke explained that the programme uses a range of mental health professionals, including psychologists, counsellors, clinical social workers, and guidance counsellors. She said the background checks are carried out not because the professionals are unqualified, but because they will be working closely with vulnerable children. “Every psychologist that touches base with the Child Diversion Office or contacts us, we have a list of things that are required.

We have a checklist that they have to meet certain criteria. Once that is done, we indicate to them that we are now going to move to get the approval to engage. The first aspect of that approval is that a background check has to be done as wel…