UNCERTAINTY surrounds the future housing of some 230 children now living in unlicensed children's residences, heard the Joint Select Committee (JSC) on Human Rights, Equality and Diversity chaired by Keith Scotland on Friday. The JSC grilled a team from the Gender and Child Affairs Unit of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) headed by Minister in the OPM, Ayanna Webster-Roy.

The hearing learnt that by month-end any unlicensed home would face a penalty when section 17 of the Children’s Community Residences, Foster Homes and Nurseries Act, 2000, takes effect, imposing a $10,000 fine and a $500 penalty for each day of continued operation without a licence.

Webster-Roy said the Children's Authority was working to try to get homes to a level to be licensed by the end of March.

She gave a list of homes and how close they were to getting licensed.

Their state of readiness was Chickland Children's Home (91 per cent), Joshua Home for Boys (92 per cent), St Dominic's (92 per cent), St Mary's (89 per cent), Jairah (82 per cent), Lady Hochoy (79 per cent), Marion House (85 per cent), Mary Care Centre South (88 per cent), Casa de Corazon (91 per cent), Ferndean's Place (76 per cent), Cyril Ross Nursery (79 per cent), St Jude's (70 per cent). She said Operation Smile was marked for closure, while Margaret Kistow Home has no children who are wards of State. Webster-Roy said the Transitional Home for Migrant Girls was recently opened and needed a fire and a public health certificate, but did not say how near it was to compliance towards getting licensed.

The minister said that out of 230 children now in unlicensed homes, some 60 could be transferred into available spots in licensed homes, 100-110 children reside in homes that are likely to become upgraded to licensed status by month-end, while some focus would be given to the situation of the 60 remaining children.

She expressed optimism about compliance by the Chickland Home, Joshua Home, St Dominic's and St Mary's by month-end. She said Lady Hochoy, Marion House and Mary Care Centre South could become licensed by May, and Cyril Ross Nursery by September.

She vowed to work with St Jude's. Most of the homes were in need of public health and fire certificates, the minister said.

Webster-Roy said the Children's Authority has a draft kinship policy for children to stay with relatives who get food cards and financial assistance. She wanted the general public to consider foster care or adoption. Further, she said prevention was key, ahead of children's lives ending up in abuse.

JSC member Anita Haynes warned that any assistance under the kinship programme was reliant upon inefficient systems, as she related her own problems in seeking food cards for needy constituents.

Webster-Roy remarked, "I strongly believe what we are doing now can work."

JSC member Jearlean John said more youngsters might enter the care system, lamenting, "We have some cruel parents in TT. How do you do prevention?"

Speaking later to Newsday, Haynes predicted that homes not licensed by