Relationship between service providers vital: Official

By GLORIA BAUAI
VANESSA Agen, a child protection officer (CPO) from Vanimo has stressed that a good relationship between service providers is vital for a child’s future.
Agen said this while in Lae recently undergoing case management training on the systematic approach of handling cases concerning children. The long-serving CPO said the main challenge faced by officers like herself was maintaining a good working relationship with service providers in terms of child protection and family services.
“In order to ensure we progressively carry out our work from start to finish, we need other players along the way,” she said. “We need police and health services, courts, churches and non-government organisations, our government line agencies (to do their parts).
“The challenge is having a good rapport or relationship with them which will help us to easily engage their services to help a particular child and family.”
Agen said from over 100 cases reported, the majority were for child maintenance claims, sexual abuse and neglect.
“Neglect is a new and increasing trend now where children born out of wedlock or given to grandparents or other families to care for,” she said, adding that many cases still went unreported.