The Children’s Authority has been looking into nearly 60 cases of children found begging or in the company of adults begging.
The authority said out of that number, some 24 cases involved migrant children.
The statistics are from the year 2022 to now and were sent to Guardian Media following inquiries to the Children’s Authority.
It explained that when information is received a report is made to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service which would send officers to the reported location in an attempt to locate the family/minors. Simultaneously, the authority’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) or a caseworker is assigned to contact the families so that home inquiries can be conducted. It added these cases are usually referred to organisations such as the Archdiocesan Ministry for Migrants and Refugees for additional support.
Asked if the number of children seen begging is increasing, the Children’s Authority admitted it is difficult to track.
“The reports often reference the same locations across the country, which seem to be preferred for loitering and begging. These include supermarkets, malls, traffic light stops and outside banks. Once a child/children are located by the police or the authority, the caseworker updates the case management database with the information regarding names, ages and other demographic,” the authority said.
On December 20, 2023, the Gender and Child Affairs Division met with key stakeholders in the child protection system to address public concerns regarding the children seen on the streets.
The public has been encouraged to continue to make reports to the authority at 996 and the police at 999 if they observe minors begging or in the company of adults begging.
It said since begging is seen as lucrative for many people, if the public continues to give money the practice will not cease.
“While the public’s response to persons in need is commendable, it is best to encourage those persons who are begging, to seek support from agencies that can provide holistic support to families and their children.
The public may also wish to provide support to the registered agencies that have been established to provide support to families,” the Children’s Authority said.
Since the establishment of a task force to deal with the issue of children seen begging on the streets throughout the country, the Minister with responsibility for Gender and Child Affairs, Ayanna Webster-Roy is yet to be briefed.
Asked last week if she has been briefed as to the findings or actions of the task force, she said: “No. I have no information or any updates at all. Maybe you can get an update from someone in the ministry.”
Asked why no updates were given to her, the minister did not answer specifically.
Last weekend a video went viral on social media showing Venezuelan migrants begging on the streets in Montrose, Chaguanas, in the vicinity of the bridge that leads to Edinburgh 500 South.
The Children’s Authority added, “The agencies continue to collaborate to protect children who have been exposed to danger. The authority continues to work with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, to follow up on reports where persons have been seen begging with children and to explore workable solutions to ensure that the rights of children are protected. The process is ongoing and there has been a commitment to further strengthening of the joint proactive response of State agencies.”