“You think young children might not know the word ‘rape’, but they have brought it up during class.” Twelve years ago, Melissa Bardfield began teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. She teaches children, from five…
Challenging Children to Build Confidence
Understanding the coping behaviours of children
“If we want children and adults to cope positively with trauma or difficult situations, we must become a society that focuses on the overall wellbeing of our population.” – Drs….
The effect of childhood trauma
Children who receive adequate support from their families or other adults are often better able to deal with traumatic experiences – be it the consequences of a hurricane or child…
Preparing children for a disaster
“Every child is unique, which means each child will have different needs or strengths”, says Leona Neptune, a psychologist at Student Support Services Division (SSSD). The same goes for coping…
Protecting children after a disaster
In the aftermath of a natural disaster, children are at risk of facing a number of negative consequences. Not only are parents less capable of providing the attention needed by…
We are here to protect children
“The community, namely professionals, are key to ensuring that the Court Of Guardianship (CoG) can do our job to protect children,” says Kimberly Brown, Interim Head of the CoG. The…
More support needed for early childhood development
Sophia Farrell-Hassell, manager of Alexander’s Early Stimulation & Development Foundation and President of SECDA, advocates for more support in the early childhood development sector on Sint Maarten. “Good early childhood…
Youth Parliament: our opinion matters!
There’s no lack of ideas among the members of the Sint Maarten Youth Parliament, who are trained in politics, debating and critical thinking. The first step is taken, but they…
Sister Basilia Center: providing a safe space
One of the goals of The Sister Basilia Center is to provide a safe place for children with disabilities and to encourage them to express and develop themselves in a…
We need to become a society that cares for vulnerable groups
The Public Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten is working on tackling child abuse in various ways. Still, there’s a lot to be done, says Public Prosecutor Geert Steeghs. Not only as…