Baseline Survey: Knowledge, Attitude & Practices Regarding Child Maltreatment in Jamaica

The Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR), in collaboration with UNICEF, commissioned this baseline survey to explore the currently held views, opinions, knowledge levels, attitudes, behaviours and practice relating to child abuse and child abuse reporting in Jamaica. The OCR, which was established in 2007, closely collaborates with three other agencies specifically dedicated to the welfare of children, which are the Child Development Agency (CDA), The Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA) and the Office of the Children’s Advocate (OCA), and provides them with information on reported cases of child maltreatment. OCR also collaborates with the Victim Support Unit of the Ministry of Justice.

The baseline survey will be used to inform the development of the OCR’s communication strategy which will determine action to influence current attitudes towards, and encourage higher levels of reporting of child abuse and increase levels of awareness of the role and functions of the entity. The communication strategy will include a public education campaign aimed at increasing levels of awareness of the role of the entity. In the final analysis, the survey will be the baseline for a post awareness evaluation survey, which will follow. It is hoped that through this public awareness campaign, persons will become more acutely aware of child abuse issues, resulting in a reduction of the incidence abuse. It is also anticipated that this will encourage greater reporting of such instances in order for more effective management of the planned interventions of the OCR and its related bodies, the CISOCA, OCA and the CDA.

Market Research Services Ltd. (MRSL) was the company commissioned to conduct the baseline survey. This document represents MRSL’s report of the findings of the baseline study.

To view the results of the survey, click here