Prioritizing children’s safety

As the 2026 Spicemas season picks up pace and children are on vacation from school, parents and guardians are once again reminded of their responsibility in ensuring the safety of their children.

Children continuing to be seen at events tailored for adults came to light in different discussions.

The Child Protection Authority (CPA), in a recent Statement made another appeal to parents to “Refrain from exposing your children to adult-oriented fetes as these environments often expose children to behaviours, language, and situations that are entirely inappropriate for their age and development.”

The concern was shared by WPC #73 Toussaint of the Community Relations Department of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF), who stated “our children are the nation’s future so it is our collective responsibility to protect them. Therefore, parents and guardians are encouraged not to take children to fetes or shows unsuitable for their age.”

In the “rare” instances where children may run away to attend adult events, the Constable said when they are made aware that minors are at the venue, the children would be taken to the Police’s station at the venue while contact is made with their parents. If parents are unreachable, she said the children would then be taken to the nearby police station as efforts continue to reach the parents to come to the station.

In addition, Constable Toussaint warned vendors about the illegal selling of alcoholic beverages to minors at events during the season.

“Safety is a collective effort—neighbors and community members, if you see a child in a vulnerable situation, do not look away,” stated Donella Hosten, Communications Officer at the CPA.

Appealing to parents to “not leave children unsupervised at home while you attend festivities,” she also encouraged people to “report known instances of children being left alone and not turn a blind eye because it is not our children or that of a close associate…it takes a community to raise a child and we want to keep that mentality.”

Constable Toussaint advised that since last week, the RGPF rolled out its strategic plan for the season, which includes members of the RGPF appearing on various media platforms sharing tips regarding children and property safety, etcetera.

As part of the drive, she said parents are being encouraged to ensure children know important contact information such as emergency numbers and the contacts of parents or guardians.

“We advise against leaving children at home poorly supervised or unsupervised. But ensure they are in the care of a responsible, trustworthy and capable adult,” the Constable urged.

To avoid fires and other hazards, she urged “store matches, lighters or sharp objects in secure locations and cover electrical outlets and cords out of children’s reach as we have noticed during this period in comparison to Easter and Christmas holidays, children often play with lighters etc, causing house fires.”

Moreover, Constable Toussaint encouraged parents to “keep children close at all times” when they are accompanying them on errands, for instance.

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