The Child Care Board (CCB) in Barbados says it hasn’t seen a big rise in the number of child abuse cases reported over the last four years. But the Director, RoseAnn Richards, is very worried about the nature of some of the neglect cases being reported.
She spoke about this during a workshop for faith-based groups at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.
Ms. Richards said more children are being brought to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital after getting hurt by things like chemicals, rat poison, or burns. Some even fall off their beds. These are signs of neglect, she said.
She also mentioned an even more disturbing trend. Children as young as four to seven are going to school and performing sexual acts such as oral sex on each other. This, she explained, likely means they’re being left unsupervised, watching porn, or seeing older siblings watch porn.
Ms. Richards said child abuse happens in all areas of Barbadian society, regardless of class or culture. She added that even though many cases are reported, many others go unnoticed. This may be because people are afraid to speak out or don’t know how to report it.
Every year, the Board receives over 400 reports. In 2021, 667 children were affected. That number rose to 672 in 2022-2023 and 677 in 2023-2024. For the current year, numbers are still being finalized but are expected to be around 600.
She made it clear that the Board can’t fight child abuse alone. That’s why they’re hosting workshops to help different groups understand how to spot and report abuse—and why prevention matters.
She told the audience: “You all play a role in fighting child abuse in Barbados. We want our children to grow up in safe places so they can reach their full potential and help build a better country.”
This workshop was the third one. Earlier ones included the media and the Barbados Police Service.
The CCB is part of the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs. It handles child protection, adoptions, foster care, residential care, and daycare. Its work is guided by Barbados’ laws.
Source: Barbados GIS.