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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Mrs. Frances Ledee (second left) recognized as the country's first Social Worker, was among the large crowd that attended the Department of Social Services 50th Anniversary Exhibit held at the Mall at Marathon. Pictured (from left) are: Ms. Mellany Zonicle, Director, Department of Social Services; Mrs. Ledee; Mrs. Vylma Thompson-Curling, former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Social Services and Community Development; and Ms. Mavis Darling-Hill, Deputy Director, Department of Social Services. (BIS Photo/Matt Maura)
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NASSAU, The Bahamas - The modern Bahamas could not exist without the Department of Social Services, Minister of Social Services and Community Development, the Hon. Melanie S. Griffin said.
Addressing a two-day Mall at Marathon exhibit launching the 50th Anniversary celebrations of state-operated social welfare services in The Bahamas, Mrs. Griffin said, September 12, the Department of Social Services (DOSS) has expanded to become one of the largest departments of the Government since its launch in 1964, with its reach now extending to the “furthest islands of the archipelago.”
A Church Service, ‘Long Service Awards’ Presentation and 50th Anniversary Luncheon at which all of the past Directors of the Department of Social Services will be honored, have all been scheduled as part of the festivities celebrating the 50th anniversary.
The Department is responsible for Child Protection, Child Care Facilities and Child Placement which provides services to children under the age of 18 who have been subjected to any form of abuse, be it physical, verbal, emotional or sexual, or who have been abandoned; Community Support, which provides various types of assistance to persons in need, through its various Outreach Centres; and Disability Affairs Division, which identifies and coordinates services available to persons with disabilities throughout The Bahamas.
Minister of Social Services and Community Development, the Hon. Melanie S. Griffin, admires the Social Services Urban Renewal Unit's booth while attending the Department of Social Services 50th Anniversary Exhibit at the Mall at Marathon. (BIS Photo/Matt Maura)
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It is also responsible for School Welfare Services, which provides a number of services for school-aged children, among them, the national lunch programme, pre-school programme and providing access to continuing education (PACE) for pregnant teens; the Senior Citizens Programme, which seeks to ensure the safety and well being of all senior citizens in The Bahamas, by assisting with housing and other services including the Older Persons Food Assistance Programme; and Family Services which provides services to individuals and families in distress and support services to the courts on family matters.
The Ministry of Social Services and Community Development, on the other hand, has oversight for areas such as Social Development, Social Services, Public Assistance, Social Welfare, Old Age Pensions, Care of Indigent and Aged Persons, Care Facilities, Child Protection, Disabled Persons, The Willie Mae Pratt Centre for Girls, Simpson Penn Centre for Boys, Rehabilitative Services and Community Development
Its departments include the Department of Social Services; Department of Rehabilitative Services, which has implemented and continues to run a “very successful” National Parenting Programme among its many other responsibilities; and the Bureau of Women's Affairs.
After Care Services, Family Counseling, Burial, Uniform and Rent Assistance, in addition to Braille Classes for the sight impaired are among some of the services provided.
“The Department's history has been one of providing services to people in distress and appreciable relief to those who suffer the most appalling difficulties literally from the cradle to the grave,” Mrs. Griffin said.
“This exhibit gives a view of the history of the Department of Social Services and its growth and development over the fifty years, while showcasing the range of services now provided by the Department.”
Minister Griffin said social services were not always provided by the Government of The Bahamas as prior to 1964 it was primarily non-governmental organizations such as The British Red Cross, lodges and churches that provided for the welfare of the sick and the poor. This changed in 1964 with the introduction of ministerial government and the appointment of the late Eugene Dupuch as the first Minister of Welfare.
“Prior to the establishment of the Ministry, The Red Cross employed an individual as a Welfare Officer, and this individual, Mrs. Francis Ledee, became the first Child Care Officer to be appointed for the new Ministry of Welfare. Mrs. Ledee, who is to be honored later this month, is a true patriot and a pioneer in the field of social welfare services.
“Then, in 1964, the nucleus of the Department of Social Services was established, followed soon thereafter by the establishment of School Welfare Services under the Ministry of Education, and rudimentary Psychiatric Social Services at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.”
Mrs. Griffin said “over the years,” the Department of Social Services and the other social welfare agencies were placed under various ministerial portfolios, but that in 1992, the then Government made the decision to amalgamate all of the agencies providing social services under the umbrella of one ministry.
“In the lives of most people, the half-century mark is a great milestone,” Minister Griffin said. “This is also true of organizations as well, therefore, the Department of Social Services has every reason to celebrate and we as a country have every reason to give thanks for its existence.
“I am extremely proud to have been able to serve as the Minister with responsibility for Social Services, not once but twice. I know that by doing so, I follow in the footsteps of great Bahamians such as the late Sir Milo Butler, the late Sir Clifford Darling, the late Hon. George Mackey, the current Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie; former Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham, the Hon. Theresa Moxey and The Hon. Algernon Allen, to name but a few,” Mrs. Griffin added.
© Copyright 2014 by thebahamasweekly.com
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