Cops warn parents to supervise kids

| 30/07/2009

(CNS): Parents and guardians who are not properly supervising their children may find themselves in trouble with the law if the kids get up to no good. Police are asking parents to know what their children are doing and where they are during the summer holidays following complaints that children are being seen out and about late at night and unsupervised.  The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) Family Support Unit (FSU) said parents should take an active and genuine interest in their children’s activities.

 “We have concerns about what children might get up to if they are left unsupervised during this summer period,” said Inspector Claudia Brady, Head of the FSU. “If left to their own devices young people could find themselves looking for ways to entertain themselves, causing a nuisance to others and breaking the law, or they could end up in vulnerable or dangerous situations.”

Police warned that if their child is causing a nuisance in the community or committing criminal acts, they could be held responsible for the actions of their child. Inspector Brady also stressed that aside from the chances of young people getting involved in criminal activity, there is also a very real concern that young people could get mixed up in adult relationships. Inspector Brady warns that it can be hard for parents and guardians to know when their child is getting involved with a boyfriend or older man.

“It could be that your child is involved with someone who is considered to be a family friend or someone they know to trust,” she said. “What is important is that parents play an active role in their child’s life. Parents and guardians should know who their child is spending time with, where they are going, what activities they are getting up to and how they spend their time while away from school.”

The RCIPS encourages parents and guardians to speak with their children, ask them questions about their friends and take a real interest in what is happening in their lives. “It is your responsibility to protect and care for your child. If you have any concerns about what they are doing or who they are doing it with, seek help. We are here to offer advice and we welcome the opportunity to assist parents, guardians and families,” said Inspector Brady.

The FSU provides inter-agency liaison in areas of domestic violence, child protection and victim support. Police said that the detectives assigned to the unit have received specialist training in the investigation of child neglect, sexual and physical abuse and vulnerable adults who are victims or witnesses. They are also trained to deal with domestic violence complaints. All officers have considerable experience and knowledge in dealing with issues affecting the family and deal with each case in a caring and confidential manner.

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  1. Marek says:

    Camana Bay Friday nights is the perfect example. HELLO PARENTS, you are dropping your kids off in the parking lot with $20 ‘going to the movies’ only they are not going to the movies. The policy on weekends at Camana Bay cinema is that persons under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

    Parents don’t know that because they don’t bother to check. So ‘everybody’ reading this, call or email all your friends and let them know this is the policy.

    By and large, the vast majority of our kids are not getting into trouble. But hanging out in large groups with bad apples and peer pressure is a disaster looking for a place to happen.

    A couple of weeks back I saw a group of girls who could not have been more than 12-14 hanging out with a guy who was clearly 18-19 … drinking directly from a large bottle of whiskey and sharing the bottle. "That is some serious hard core drinking".

    I brought the matter to the attention of Camana Bay security and they immediately seperated the girls from the guy and ordered him off the property.

    Unlike many posters and comments in the past. I find most local kids to be respectful… like every kid they are having an identity crisis … and open to suggestion.

    Parents are the filters… talk to your kids.. like the small adults they are… and let them know you are there when they need advise…

    … and let them know you are monitoring thier activities and whereabouts…

     

     

     

  2. Anonymous says:

    During these school holidays the Immigration Department must also exercise more caution when allowing the large number of foreign children to enter the country. I do not think that Immigration is checking to ensure that sufficient supervision is being provided while their parents are at work, and also that the parents can afford to maintain them here. The same financial requirements to add a dependant should be to have children here for long holidays as well. I am not discriminatory but every Summer I witness hundreds of children being allowed here with their parents, many of whom cannot afford to maintain or supervise them. Many of these children are left to their own whims and fancies and often connect with the local bad apples. Immigration should look at who has been allowed to have their children here for the holidays and make sure they are being properly taken care of.

  3. Anonymous says:

    This may be a bit out there, but I know of a few States that punish the parents, as well as the child, if their child is busted for illegal activitiy. Maybe a local option would be to require family counselling on various issues, such as abuse, drug use, etc…
     

    Just asking parents to be more involved isn’t going to stop the bad behaviour…these parents are not involved in the schools or reading newspapers….

  4. Twyla M Vargas says:

    I MUST JOIN THE AMEN ON THIS

    For too long a blind has been winking in this direction.  Someone needs to be responsible for these kids roaming the streets all day and night, breaking people glass windows, pelting dogs trespassing unto peoples property taking their fruit and the list goes on.  Cant even find the parents, and if you do they will lie and say the child was at home.

    Children should not be allowed to roam the streets day and night getting into trouble, because when they become street wise from an early age, it will not leave them.  As soon as they get out of school, back to the streets.  Parents should be charged for the children whom are allowed to roam the street free and get into mischief.  It is the only way it will stop, when they are held accountable.  If this is not done from the time they are in Primary school it will be difficult by the time they are in John Grey.  

    I  know many solutions to problems are being aired in Cayman these days, so I will just sit back and see how much will be enforced, or will this be another lip service game.  Lets see.

     

     

     

     

     

  5. Concerned young caymanian mother says:

    AMEN, AMEN, AMEN!!!!! As a young Caymanian  who just had a son a few months ago, i totally agree, PARENTS DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR KIDS!!!!!! Spend time with them. Plan activities together. Treat their friends the way you treat your kids!!! (who knows, you could be doing what the other parents aren’t!!) Your child, your neighbours child, your niece/nephew/cousin……WHOEVER, as God said, suffer the little children on to me take care of the youth.!!!! they are the FUTURE!!!

  6. Anonymous says:

    AMEN! We are the ones having children, we should be the ones punished if we aren’t taking care of them! It is called NEGLECT! No child should be on the road after dark!!!!! NO CHILD!!!!

    My nephew said the other day there isn’t enough fun things to do in our home especially when he has friends over. I asked him what he wanted to keep him occupied at home. His response was "I dunnoh"! My response was board games, card table to play games on, and books But more importantly when I asked what he would like more than all of that he simply said for his uncle and me to do stuff with him. Our children need us ALL the time whether they say it or not.

    I bought 6 board games and a card table and some chairs to sit on the porch. The first night we did it we had so much fun laughing! It was priceless to see the look of happiness on his face when we did something so simple like sit down and play a board game together! Guess what he is 14 and no matter what we think or how much we have to scream, yell or as I have found works the best (be respectful to our children) they will respond as long as you keep trying!

    We all need to say a prayer for our children today. Get involved and love them!

    West Bay Auntie!

    • clearviewer says:

      Thats the kind of village parenting that we need, the whole family taking part in  our childrens activities,  I trust that more people like you will see that it does  take a village to raise a child, my  grandchildren,  neices and nephews love to come over to my house also and play cards, dominoes and even the wii,  they laugh at me and with me at times but we have fun.  More parents need to step up to the plate and take responsibility for their actions towards their childrens failure in society, that mentality of arguing and cursing every one out in front of the children and making  nasty statements about others is what affects  these kids, how can they benefit from  this kind of behaviour.

      Parents allow your children to be children, love and cherish them they will make you happy in the end and society will be a better place for all.