Who We Are

THE CHILD CARE BOARD is a Statutory Organization established by the Child Care Board Act, Cap 381 in 1969. This Act was amended in 1981. In addition to this Act, there are other Acts which facilitate the Board’s work with children such as the Adoption Act, Cap 212 and the Adoption Regulations 1986.

As a result of the above, the Board’s functions are to:

1. provide and maintain Child Care Centres for children in need of care and protection (such as Day Care Centres and
   Children’s Homes).
2. provide counselling and other services for:
   1. children in need of care and protection
   2. the parents and guardians of those children
3. place children in Foster Care and supervise those placements
4. register and regulate Private Day Care Services
5. assess applicants for adoption, place children for adoption with approved adoptive parents and to monitor those children who are placed for adoption.

History

The Board’s Adoption Programme was officially started on July 24, 1981, when the Welfare Department handed over all documents and forms pertaining to adoption. The Adoption Programme extended beyond Barbadian applicants, in that applications were received from the Eastern Caribbean Region and from North America.

Children with no ties to natural families are made available for adoption, and legally become members of other suitable families. Adoption establishes a parent-child relationship between persons who are not related by blood. The majority of children in the hard-to-place category are unfortunately males and/or children over five years.

The Board is encouraging prospective adopters to consider adopting boys as an alternative to girls. The concerns for this Programme have remained relatively constant over the years; namely, the cost incurred in adoptions, the role of the Guardian Ad Litem, and the delay in court proceedings.

Services