Gov’t pledges continued support for children with disabilities

As parents continue to identify their children with disabilities to the state, the government will be able to provide more assistance, now and in the future.

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Kirk Humphrey says guardians have been much more willing than in the past to disclose their charges’ disabilities allowing them to benefit from state assistance.

Speaking from the Well of Parliament on Wednesday, the Member of Parliament for St Michael South said his ministry had seen a change in attitude when it came to disclosing the cognitive and other disabilities facing children, something many parents were reluctant to do previously.

Responding to a question from Member of Parliament for St Michael East Trevor Prescod on the state’s capacity to cater to the educational needs of children with varying learning challenges, Minister Humphrey applauded the fact that there was less “hiding” of children with disabilities including those with cognitive deficits and delayed development. He said his ministry has been working alongside the Ministry of Education to ensure that these children are properly assessed and provided for.

The minister said government has a clearer idea of the number of disabled children needing state help.

“Historically we were never able to get a full count of the number of children with disabilities. Over the last few years we have seen a change in attitude and many people are coming forward to register their children with disabilities…As the government expands its offerings to people with disabilities you find that more and more persons are coming forward.”

He also explained that when the ministry recently made a call for people with autism, down syndrome and cerebral palsy to identify themselves, many more came forward who were not known to the state agencies.

He acknowledged that many of the cognitive disabilities are not easy to assess and especially not by untrained people, hence why many disabilities are discovered late.

Humphrey said while there will be some children whose disability may be so severe it prevents them from being accommodated in the mainstream education system, there must be a place for them. 

‘What we have to be able to do in that case is to offer a significant amount of care for those children even though they may not be able to be assessed for school.”

The minister’s comments came during a brief morning session when his  ministry wrapped up discussion on its programmes during the 2025 Estimates debate on the Appropriations Bill. (SP)