A Child’s Best Interest: Society’s Best Interest

Winsome M. Sherrier Witter
May 26
2 min read

Watch the full replay now: https://youtube.com/live/fFHmrZ3vUSA?feature=share

Jamaica’s future depends on how well we raise today’s children. This month’s Child Rights Series Live Forum, hosted by Serenity Resource Connector in collaboration with the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), tackled a message that should shape national policy and personal decisions: Prioritising a child’s best interest uplifts society.

Under the national theme “Act Now: Stand Against Child Abuse and Exploitation”, the discussion went beyond awareness. It was action-focused and delivered with urgency by voices grounded in the field.

We heard from Jamaican leaders and an international expert deeply committed to children’s wellbeing and development.

Who’s Leading the Call to Put Children First

Gratitude to our thoughtful panellists:

Mary Barbara Trube, Early Childhood Education Specialist (USA), Director of GEM Educare
Hyacinth Blair, Senior Director, Children’s Affairs Policy Division, Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information
Carene Francis, Community Relations Manager, Early Childhood Commission

What It Means to Put Children First

The panel broke down what “best interest of the child” means in practice:

Ensuring children grow in safe, nurturing spaces
Giving them a voice in environments where they feel heard
Making their needs a shared community responsibility, not just a household burden

Carene Francis reminded us that every adult has a role in raising children who are loved, safe, and understood.

Real Efforts Already Underway

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information and the ECC aren’t waiting on change, they’re driving it.

Ministry of Education Initiatives:

31 Days of Child Rights Awareness
Child Conversations that include children with disabilities
Wellness Benches to support school-based mental health

Early Childhood Commission Programmes:

A 13-week national parenting curriculum
Monthly training for practitioners
Public initiatives like Read Across Jamaica Day and artistic showcases by at-risk youth

Supporting Children’s Wellbeing Through Emotion and Empathy

Barbara Trube and Carene Francis made this point: to raise resilient children, we must first understand their inner worlds.

They urged parents and educators to:

Help children label and understand emotions
Respond to misbehaviour with guidance, not punishment
Allow children unstructured time for free play, crucial to emotional growth and creativity

Children need more than rules, they need connection and support.

Safe Children Become Brave Children

Hyacinth Blair brought attention to emotional safety:

Children need safe space to explore, express, and even fail
Adults should say, “Do it afraid”, and mean it
Encouragement and patience build inner strength

Children don’t need perfect homes, they need supportive ones.

It Still Takes a Village to Secure the Child’s Best Interest

Carene reminded us that community-based parenting is not a trend, it’s a necessity. Every group plays a role, from churches and schools to youth workers and local councils.

When we act together, our children succeed. When we don’t, they fall through the cracks.