YOU CANNOT get a perfect child in ten days.

Debra Hewitt, programme coordinator of the Edna Nicholls Centre, to which children with disciplinary problems are referred, has stressed that point.

"Some schools continue to maintain unrealistic expectations of what ten days of counselling at the centre should produce. In almost every situation, persons seem to expect radical change in behaviour after the period of intervention.

"While the work done during that time appears to be successful for cases for whom the centre was designed, a longer period of time, as well as other forms of intervention, which the centre must outsource, is needed for other cases," she said.

"Ten days cannot wipe out ten years of inappropriate behaviour, but children get the opportunity to examine what they are doing wrong and see how they can change. It's a time-out. People will take time out to listen," Hewitt added.

She said that the centre, which accommodated up to 20 students at one time and had a yearly intake of around 225, has had a high level of success in responding to the needs of students.

"In 2006 to 2007, almost every student who left the centre was immediately re-admitted into school and a written report sent to the school or agency involved. These reports included information about the student's performance, the interventions used and recommendations for further assistance," she outlined.

"For the year 2006 to 2007, almost 200 'at-risk' students received counselling concerning challenges they were facing in their lives. These included challenges being faced at school and at home," she said.

Closely monitored

Hewitt pointed out that a few students were, however, not admitted back to school soon after leaving the centre "due to additional requirements set by the learning institution".

"Some students, based on the severity of the referral and their poor performance at the centre, were referred to the Probation Department so their behaviour could be closely monitored by an officer. Some students were also referred to a psychiatrist for psychiatric evaluation/ counselling," said the programme co-ordinator.

Of the agencies which work with the centre in providing assistance to students, Hewitt stated that the Coalition Against Substance Abuse (CASA) as well as the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) played a vital role in its goal to assist all students wherever possible.

"The centre was able to provide assistance to some students who took a wrong turn in life and might have wreaked havoc
on the Barbadian society. These students who tested positive for drug use were referred to a rehabilitation programme at CASA," she said.

Hewitt added that "through the programme with the BDF, students gained additional skills. Some have also expressed a desire to go
into that line of work".

She stated, however, that the institution did have its hurdles. "A major challenge staff members face is having to work with students whose presenting problems are not what the centre was designed to address. This includes students who experiment with illegal drugs or who
have mental disorders.

Challenges

"These students present a wider range of challenges in that they threaten the safety of other students and staff just by being on the premises or when they are being transported for drug testing, psychiatric evaluation/counselling and probation referrals," she added.

Hewitt stressed that the actions of some parents were also a challenge to the centre. "Parents or guardians who use drugs, sometimes together with their children, fail to see as well as support the benefits of being drugfree.

"Because of their practices, they refuse to sign a form which gives consent for the child/ward to be tested for drug use. Failure to have these students tested makes it difficult to refer them to CASA for counselling," she explained.

The centre will celebrate its tenth anniversary this year. (AA/BGIS)