HFC donates UD$250,000 to child abuse charities
(CNS): Hedge Funds Care (HFC) Cayman, a charity for the prevention and treatment of child abuse, has allocated a total of US$250,000 in local grants this year to seven local charites that work to raise awareness in order to prevent abuse or to support abused children in the Cayman Islands. Programmes that will benefit include those that educate the public, young parents, teachers and health workers, as well as child abuse prevention education for young children at school. Hedge Funds Care Cayman was founded in 2005 as the second international affiliate of HFC. Since then, the Cayman affiliate has distributed over US$1.8 million in 47 grants to agencies and organisations in the Caymans Islands that work to prevent and treat child abuse and neglect, Hedge Funds Care’s sole mission.
By raising awareness about child abuse and neglect, funding programs that work with at-risk families and helping organisations provide much-needed services to young victims of abuse, Hedge Funds Care Cayman seeks to protect the island’s most vulnerable children and ensure their safe and successful future.
The seven 2013 grantees are: the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre Children and Youth Programme, the Cayman Islands Red Cross “Protection Starts Here” Campaign, the Department of Children and Family Services/RCIPS Central Referral Unit, the Department of Counselling Services/Family Resource Centre Administrative and Programme Support, HSA – Child Sexual Abuse Intervention & Treatment Programme, the Education Ministry's School Based Study and Intervention for Children At-Risk for Child Abuse (Better Futures Project), and the Nadine Andreas Residential Foster Home.
The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre (CICC) Children and Youth Programme targets school-aged children who accompany their mothers to the CICC Emergency Shelter and have been abused or have witnessed abuse. HFC Cayman funds will support group and individual intervention for children while they are at the shelter as well as the implementation of a public awareness campaign.
The Cayman Islands Red Cross “Protection Starts Here” Campaign aims to increase understanding and knowledge of child sexual abuse amongst youth workers, volunteers, and adults in order to prevent its occurrence. HFC Cayman funds will fund public service announcements in the local media, creation of a DVD tool, and child sexual abuse prevention trainings for youth-serving organisations.
The Department of Children and Family Services/Royal Cayman Islands Police Service Central Referral Unit is a collaborative effort between the RCIPS and DCFS to create one central point to serve abused children. HFC Cayman funds will support the Senior Social Worker at the Central Referral Unit.
The Department of Counselling Services/Family Resource Centre Administrative and Programme Support focuses on strengthening family life and preventing domestic violence and child abuse through various programmes, including the Young Parent Services programme for parenting and life skills training and the FathersFirst programme to empower fathers. HFC Cayman funds will support the administrative staff at the Family Resource Centre.
Health Services Authority – Child Sexual Abuse Intervention & Treatment Programme provides education, treatment, and counselling for child abuse victims and their families as well as child abuse identification and treatment training for hospital staff and forensic data gathering. HFC Cayman funds will support half of a child psychologist’s full time salary.
Ministry of Education, Training, Employment, Youth, Sports and Culture – School Based Study and Intervention for Children At-Risk for Child Abuse (Better Futures Project) provides young children with a comprehensive child abuse prevention education. HFC Cayman funds will support child abuse prevention training for private school teachers, the extension of the Behaviour and Education Support Team model, leadership of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Child Protection and consultation within Cayman Islands schools on child abuse education and services.
The National Council of Voluntary Organizations (NCVO) – Nadine Andreas Residential Foster Home houses up to ten children ranging in age from birth to 16 years of age who have been placed in care by the Department of Children and Family Services and the Courts due to maltreatment. HFC Cayman funds will support the Care Manager, who is responsible for the daily operation of the Foster Home and providing care to the residents.
Individuals or organisations that would like to support the 2013 Open Your Hearts to the Children benefit on 16 November through attendance, sponsorship of a social worker or general donation, can contact Greg Bennett at gbennett@harbour.ky. If you are unable to attend the benefit, please consider making a donation towards the live or silent auction. For more information on how you can contribute, please contact Jennifer Collins at Jennifer.Collins@ogier.com.
For more information on Hedge Funds Care Cayman and the 2013-2014 grantees, visit www.HedgeFundsCare.org/Cayman.
Category: Local News
Many, many thanks to Hedge Funds Care Cayman. Support could not be given to a better cause – this is right up there with feeding children. Child abuse is a subject that has been denied and therefore ignored for too too long in Cayman.
I am made to understand that teachers, doctors and others who may be suspicious of child abuse are not required by law to report suspicious circumstances – that in fact, they can be prosecuted for doing so. While we know that not every suspicion turns out to be true, in most cases this is the only way these situations come to light as the child is, in most cases, too afraid of their abuser to say anything. Can anyone confirm re the law on the above?
So much abuse children here in Cayman?? I don't think so and do we have the numbers to reflect the total of abuse children?? I don't think so…
True post below and happy to see that Foster's IGA was not included.. They really help the people of Cayman, year in and year out.. Thank you Foster's IGA staff and your entire family. You will forever be bless
Why on earth would anyone thumbs down Fosters contribution to these Islands? Just because they don't sing from the rooftops what they do for the community does not mean they don't give a heck of a lot. I am VERY involved in charity work here and I OFTEN get hand-outs from Fosters but you'll never read of hear about that. I wonder just how much the Foster Group really hands out each year to needy charities and individuals? Guess we'll never know because they don't boast about it. Thumbs up Fosters – I know I can always count on you for a donation whenever I go a beggin' because I NEVER come back empy handed.
These grants appear to be primarily for the purpose of paying salaries, including at a number of govt entities. What exactly is govt doing with its $600,000,000 in annual recurrent revenue???
These Grants are not made with public (government money) but from the private sector. And yes some of it goes to pay salaries. This enables trained people to administer the programs which would not exist with out them.
WOnderful, yes, wonderful. Hats off to all the Contributors. I wonder what happen to teh Cayma Families Mctaggart, KIrkconnell , Hurleys Group. We all complain anout immigrants in our country, buy those who have still want more for themselves and no body else. I am not saying they should partcipate in this particular project, but by shiver me timbers they could do something of greater magnitude to affect the society positively. THis society which has given and still gives them the wealth they posess.
Thank you Hedge Funds Care CAyman