‘A last resort’

THE CHILD CARE BOARD is not eager to place  children in its homes across the island.
The agency’s deputy director Denise Nurse, in pointing this out yesterday, said: “. . . We hate to bring children into the children’s homes. They are the last resort. We fight with the police not to bring in children so that we can find alternatives. The day a child comes into care we try very hard to get them back into the community.”
According to Nurse, the Child Care Board first looks for members of the extended families to place the children with before the option of foster care or adoption is even considered.”
 Her comments follow criticisms last weekend of the Board, including comments from Saturday Sun columnist Mavis Beckles, that blamed the agency for the plight of mentally challenged children who were placed in care at a children’s home until the age of 16.