It’s Time to End Child Labour in Jamaica – Let’s Talk Solutions
- Winsome M. Sherrier Witter
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Child labour in Jamaica isn’t just a problem; it’s a breach of our children’s rights.
Too many of our children are still being pulled from classrooms and playfields and forced to work. That’s why Episode 6 of the Child Rights Series 2025 zeroed in on what matters most: education, accountability, and bold community action.
This was a direct challenge to the systems and mindsets that continue to allow child labour to thrive.
In partnership with the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), SRC led a focused forum featuring:
Dr Warren Thompson, Director of Children and Family Programmes at CPFSA, and
Yvette Edwards-Wilson, Senior Inspector, ECC Region 6
This discussion pulled back the curtain on what child labour looks like in our schools, streets, markets, and homes and what we need to do about it.
What Is Considered Child Labour in Jamaica?
Child labour in Jamaica is clearly defined under the law, but is still widely misunderstood.
Legal breakdown:
Under 13: Not permitted to work (except in limited artistic/sporting roles that don’t interfere with school or play).
Ages 13–15: May do light work, non-hazardous and non-exploitative.
15+: Can work full-time, but not in dangerous or morally harmful environments.
18+: No longer classified as a child; full work rights apply.
The law also prohibits children from working in bars, nightclubs, massage parlours, or doing any job that could put their well-being or morality at risk.
Know the Signs, Make the Call: 211 Hotline
You don’t need to have all the facts. If something feels wrong, report it.
The CPFSA's 211 hotline is:
Toll-free from Digicel or Flow
Open 24/7
Staffed by trained child protection officers
You can report:
Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse
Neglect (educational, medical, basic needs)
Child trafficking and labour
Moral endangerment (e.g., children near bars or engaging in adult activities)
What Does Child Labour in Jamaica Look Like?
Child labour in Jamaica doesn’t always look like a child chained to a factory machine.
Sometimes, it’s the young boy wiping windshields at a traffic light. Other times, it’s the little girl in the market selling sweets late into the night. It’s normalised, overlooked, and often dismissed as “hustling.”
But let’s be clear: if it robs a child of their education, safety, or time to play, it’s child labour.
Forum panellists Dr Warren Thompson and Mrs Edwards-Wilson laid it bare with these common scenarios:
Street-side ‘helpers’: Children cleaning windscreens or selling items on the roadside unsupervised, exposed, and often in hazardous environments.
School-aged vendors: Young boys and girls vending in plazas and markets, sometimes alongside parents, sometimes alone.
Rural exploitation: Children in farming communities kept home from school to help with harvesting or selling produce.
Hidden cases: From domestic servitude to children on fishing boats for days, some forms of labour go unseen, but are just as damaging.
“Yes, children can assist at home. But when school and play are sacrificed, or safety is compromised, that’s not support, that’s exploitation.”— Dr Warren Thompson, CPFSA
Dr Thompson also highlighted that many families may not even realise they’re crossing the line. Cultural norms and economic pressures often mask child labour as duty or discipline. But the long-term consequences are real, physically, mentally, and socially.
The Hard Numbers – What the Data Shows
An estimated 54,000 children are involved in child labour across Jamaica (Child Labour Risk Model).
26,000+ children exposed to hazardous work environments (2016–2018 Youth Activity Survey).
Only ~300 cases are reported annually to CPFSA, due to cultural silence or lack of awareness.
Education: Our Strongest Line of Defence
Schools and teachers are the first protectors outside the home.
Panellists emphasised:
Use creative storytelling (dub poetry, JCDC performances) to raise awareness.
Teach rights and responsibilities from early childhood.
Equip PTAs and educators to help spot, prevent and report signs of exploitation.
And yes, early childhood is not too early. As Edwards-Wilson said, “If the teacher says it, the child believes it. Then the parents learn too.”
Global Standards, Local Action
Child labour isn’t just a Jamaican issue. It’s global.
Globally, businesses are now being held accountable for who’s in their supply chains. Chocolates, clothing, tourism, and child exploitation hide everywhere.
Jamaica must:
Strengthen labour inspections in agriculture and manufacturing
Hold companies accountable for ethical sourcing
Demand transparency in supply chains – yes, even banana chips
What Families Need
No one wakes up and decides to exploit their child. Sometimes, they’re surviving.
To truly fight child labour, we must:
Expand PATH programme benefits
Offer vocational training and scholarships
Ensure access to free meals in schools
Create job opportunities for parents
This is a poverty issue wrapped in cultural cloth. We have to unravel both.
Modern Advocacy: Meet People Where They Are
Old-school awareness campaigns can’t reach everyone.
Let’s get real:
TikTok and Instagram are where the conversations are happening.
We need youth influencers, church voices, and community champions.
Engage culture clubs, creatives, and festivals to spread the word.
When advocacy is authentic, it works.
What You Can Do Right Now
Speak up: Call 211 to report suspected child labour or neglect.
Share this blog with your school, church, and WhatsApp groups.
Educate others: Use the replay and SRC blog to start meaningful conversations.
🎥 Watch the full forum replay now👉 Click here to watch the replay on YouTube
Our Partner in Advocacy
This critical conversation was made possible through our partnership with the Early Childhood Commission (ECC). We thank ECC for standing firm in their mission to defend every Jamaican child’s right to a safe, nurturing environment.
Final Word
Ending child labour is not just a government issue. It’s a community mandate. It’s time for Jamaicans, you, me, all of us, to get serious, get educated, and get active.
Let’s rewrite the culture. Let’s raise a generation of protected, empowered, and thriving children.