Other Projects

In 2010, we also supported projects to safeguard children in the Overseas

Territories and to promote HIV/AIDS awareness.

We continue to work with DFID on a three-year project entitled “Safeguarding

Children in the Overseas Territories” in Montserrat, Anguilla, the Turks and
Caicos Islands, the British Virgin Islands, St Helena, Ascension Island and the
Falkland Islands. This project is designed to improve policy-making,
implementation and professional practice with regard to the protection of
children, young people and their families by promoting greater Overseas
Territory government recognition and ownership of the safeguarding agenda;
strengthened inter-agency collaboration; and more effective regional
collaboration. As part of this project, three government officials from Anguilla
visited the UK during 2010 and met officials in relevant government
departments; local authorities; Local Safeguarding Children Boards (which
have the statutory responsibility to oversee the policies and practices of
agencies and organisations dealing with child protection); the courts; NGOs
working with children; and training institutions, including the Social Care
Institute for Excellence.

The governments of Anguilla, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Montserrat and
St Helena have formed groups drawn from across relevant ministries and
departments to promote the safeguarding of children. They have also made
public statements in the local media publicising this activity. Politicians and
senior officials have participated in training programmes in St Helena,
Ascension, Anguilla, the Turks and Caicos Islands and Montserrat and front
line staff training has also been delivered in these Territories. In the Turks
and Caicos Islands specific training has been devised and delivered for
church pastors, who play a key role in the lives of children and their families,
which addressed their role and responsibilities should cases of child abuse
surface either within their congregations or involving church leaders. The
training will be extended to other Territories.