Hello Everyone,
Many people might not really be familiar with what a Child Services actually means, the first time I actually had an encounter with an Agency that protects child rights and abuse was when I was still teaching in Lagos.
There was a very big issue with one of our teacher with one of the student in school, it was a very crazy experience, that particular parent went as far as involving some agency that protects child rights without even reaching the management of the school of the situation between her and the child's teachers.
So lets delve a little on what a Child services actually means,
A child Service refers to a range of programs and interventions designed to support the well-being, safety, and development of children. These services can include, Child protection(these are Services aimed at preventing and responding to child abuse and neglect), Foster care: (the foster care are Temporary care for children who cannot live with their parents). We also have the Adoption: (which Permanent care for children who cannot live with their biological parents).
We also have Youth services and Early childhood education.
Their main Goals is to a Ensure the child safety by Protecting children from harm, neglect, Promote healthy development like Support children's physical, emotional, and cognitive development and also Offering assistance to families and caregivers to help them care for their children.
Note that all these Child Services can be owned by the Government or Non profit Organisation or Community based.
So let's go back to my experience with them in Lagos,
It was a long time ago, I think that was in the year 2016, I was teaching in a Nursery and primary, The class I handled then was Nursery 1 and Nursery 2. The name of my School is Golden Towers Nursery and Primary School, Labora Ah LGA Lagos.
On that fateful day, we heard a loud knock on the gate of the school, It was one morning, when we saw a parent of one Akobi Tofarasin,enter the school with a rather angry expressions all over her face, she came with some people dressed in rather casual manners, those people are child service agency in Lagos, I think it was a non profit one.
They called out one our teacher, she flogged one of the woman child , and the little girl had a swollen arm, this didn't go well with that teacher that she was so vexed, she went directly to make a complaint to the child service agency.
The agency outrightly give the school warning on the act of punishment given to the kids, they told us to use other means of discipline on the children.
The school proprietor had to really beg and de-escalate the situation, at the long run the school catered for all the wound on the child, the teacher was also given a strict warning on not using Cane for means of punishment.
To my understanding all these agencies are all doing good job. But I think they can do better, if perhaps they are well funded and have enough support needed for them to function properly.
This is my response for #hl-w165e2