Girls of A Feather (GOAF) officially launched the Independent Child Protection Advisor (ICPA) Programme on November 20, World Children’s Day. The programme, funded by the European Union, will see advisors providing child victims of abuse with trauma-informed emotional support as they navigate the complexities of the criminal justice system.
This is GOAF’s first community-based child abuse response mechanism, introduced after nine months of preparation.
During the programme’s launch ceremony, Fiona Ramsey, Head of the European Union Delegation to Barbados and the OECS, acknowledged the legwork previously done by local authorities, including the creation of the Domestic Violence Act and institutional tools like the Family Court.
“The Network of Independent Child Protection Advisors will act as an important and critical intermediary between children in need and the relevant public services. And, it complements this legislative reform process,” Ramsey said.
Last week’s launch followed two months of intensive, multidisciplinary training undertaken by eight participants, six of whom will go on to serve as advisors and two as supervisors. Trainees included police, psychologists, social workers, nurses and volunteers working with youth who were all recruited through an application and interview process.
As the programme is supported by Lime Culture, a UK-based consultancy providing a model for the initiative in Saint Lucia and local partners, training was facilitated by professionals from local child protection, health and judicial sectors, as well as UK-based child-safeguarding partners.
According to a statement from GOAF, “the programme also received strong national support from the Director of the Department of Gender Affairs, Janey Joseph.”
At the launch, Stacy Lamontagne, a programme trainee, shared, “I am empowered to act as an informed advocate capable of translating complex legal jargon and bureaucratic systems into clear, manageable actions for the child and their guardian.
“What I look forward to the most is leveraging this knowledge to help victims close the gap between first disclosure and a secure pathway towards recovery.”
The project also features a two-paper research study assessing the programme’s impact. Through a study co-led by GOAF’s Executive Director Chelsea Foster and Dr Bephyer Parey, research fellow and lecturer at The University of the West Indies, the research will examine training and victim outcomes, as well as inter-agency coordination.
“This project has been a priority for the past two years. We wanted to ensure that the advisors were trained to the highest standard and that robust support systems were in place for victims,” Foster said. “Nearly half of the individuals affected by sexual abuse each year in Saint Lucia are children, and this reality demands youth-friendly services that prevent further harm and long-term trauma. Our goal is to work in close partnership with government agencies to ensure that every child receives appropriate, compassionate, and non-retraumatising support throughout the entire process.”
During the final stage of the project, GOAF plans to host a national conference in 2027, where programme insights, outcomes and research findings will be shared with stakeholders.
