The Watchman Church Leaders Alliance (WCLA) commends the Minister of Education, Senator Dana Morris-Dixon for the announced plan by her ministry for an amendment to the Adoption Act and the Child Care and Protection Act (CCPA).

 This excellent initiative to streamline adoption and formalise a fostering framework is a vital step toward ensuring every Jamaican child has a permanent, loving home.

As the Bible says  in Psalm 68:6: “God sets the lonely in families…”

We are heartened, as we note that the proposed legislative action directly supports the WCLA’s earlier announced Season of Family Focus, in which, among other things, we urged the placing of family stability at the centre of national development through policies.

The planned focus on moving children from state institutions into stable family environments is welcomed.

We are reminded in the Bible through James 1:27: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” 

The WCLA notes that “foster-to-adopt” models have successfully reduced the time children spend in state care in countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. Furthermore, international shifts toward family-based care in Eastern Europe and Asia consistently show superior outcomes for child development compared to institutionalisation.

We look forward to continuing efforts to reduce domestic violence, which is a known pipeline for the state care of children.  By focusing on the family, we position our nation to flourish.

​The WCLA welcomes the compassionate move of the Ministry of Education, and the formation of a Joint Select Committee. We stand ready to provide our input in the development process.