Parent groups back penalties for parents of delinquent children

arental engagement organisations have joined the call for stronger measures to hold parents accountable for their children’s actions, as authorities consider legislation could penalise adults for their children’s misconduct.

As concerns over rising youth crime and school violence continue to mount, the Probation Department is currently reviewing legislation to address parental responsibility, with new provisions recommending that parents be held more accountable for their children’s actions, according to outgoing chief probation officer Denise Agard.

Cecily Clarke-Richmond, Director of Parent Education for Development in Barbados (PAREDOS), told Barbados TODAY that the threat of legal consequences might encourage more parental engagement.

“I think based on what is happening, we know that parents are not living up to their responsibilities. Perhaps if there’s the possibility that you can be charged, it might have some effect on how involved they become,” she said, reflecting growing concern about the lack of parental involvement in shaping children’s behaviour.

Clarke-Richmond pointed to the increasing influence of social media and external factors on children, attributing this to a lack of parental involvement.

“A lot of parents are not living up to their responsibilities,” she said. “They’re expecting school or even the television and social media to raise their children.”

While the PAREDOS director hopes legislative measures can be avoided, she acknowledged that, given the rise in youth violence, all options must be on the table.

“I would hope that we wouldn’t need to get to legislation, but perhaps it’s something we need to look at. We have to try new methods of helping parents understand their responsibilities,” she said.

The Barbados National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (BNCPTA) supports the principle of parental accountability but warns against a one-size-fits-all approach.

Nicole Brathwaite, BNCPTA general secretary said: “We agree that some measure of legal accountability for parents in Barbados should be required, but on a case-by-case basis.”

She also expressed concerns about the potential impact on some parents already facing financial challenges.

“A main concern for parents of consistently delinquent children, especially if they are single or unemployed, may include how often they would be required to pay a penalty for their wayward child or ward,” Brathwaite said.

The discussion on parental responsibility legislation follows the introduction of similar legislation in neighbouring Antigua and Barbuda, where parents can now face fines and imprisonment for their children’s offences, including loitering. The Antiguan law also includes curfews for minors.

(SM)