Latest News & Events

Young sex offenders must address their behaviour

November 26, 2019

A coalition of social services agencies has called for restorative justice in cases where young people are convicted of sexual offences. The Inter-Agency Committee for Children and Families said people convicted of sexual offences, particularly those aged under 18, needed to understand the harm they caused their victims and help to tackle the causes of the behaviour to prevent further off... Read more

IAC echoes call for stronger child protection

November 18, 2019

The Inter-Agency Committee for Children and Families has backed a call by Bermuda’s top police officer to tighten up the law to better protect schoolchildren from sexual predators — even if the youngsters are over the age of consent. The IAC said in a statement that updated legislation to better protect vulnerable children was an “urgent necessity”. The statement from the c... Read more

CDC: Childhood Trauma Tied to Poor Health

November 3, 2019

PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCED trauma as children are more likely to suffer severe health consequences later in life, a new federal analysis shows. Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, refer to potentially traumatic events experienced or witnessed during childhood, like violence, substance misuse and mental health problems in the home. Though public health experts say these events are an ... Read more

Committee backs call for law to protect teens

October 28, 2019

A call to change the law to protect 16 and 17-year-olds from predators has won backing from a group advocating on behalf of children. The Inter-Agency Committee for Children and Families said Bermuda’s law on sexual exploitation should apply to anyone up to the age of 18 “to better protect all youth” from grooming. It supports the call made last week by Christine DaCosta, 38, who was ... Read more

More protections sought for at-risk children

July 23, 2019

Better communication among government departments, police and other agencies could help to prevent vulnerable children from “falling through the cracks”, a child protection group said yesterday. The Coalition for the Protection of Children added that improved co-ordination would help to form the basis of a national action plan to safeguard minors. Kelly Hunt, the organisation’s execut... Read more

Charities welcome litigation guardians victory

June 24, 2019

Three “brave abused” children and a handful of charities successfully fought for a legal change that will protect youngsters by ensuring they have independent representation in court, the groups involved in a Court of Appeal case said yesterday. A joint statement by the five charities that backed the children said: “We encourage the Government to follow through with its repeate... Read more