Siblings placed together after blaze at Walker’s Place of Safety
FOUR SETS of siblings who were temporarily displaced after a fire destroyed the Walker’s Place of Safety on Monday night are living together once again in three children’s homes across the Corporate Area.
The hellish blaze at the Lyndhurst Crescent, St Andrew, facility claimed the lives of two female wards and forced 34 others to seek shelter at the nearby Shiloh Apostolic Faith Tabernacle Church. However, speaking with The
Gleaner yesterday morning, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Information Floyd Green confirmed that the relocation process for all surviving wards had been completed and the relatives have been placed together.
“We were also able to complete the process, which had already started, for one child to go into foster care, and there was another process for two of the children to be reintegrated with their family, and we did that. So all the children would have been in suitable accommodations last night (Tuesday night), and we continue to counsel to ensure that they get past this traumatic experience,” Green said.
At the same time, the state minister pointed out that the Government had started the process to help at least one caregiver who was a permanent resident at the facility.
“Just like the children, everything would have been lost for that caregiver. So we are also seeking to help that caregiver with restoration of items so she can get back on her feet. We also have to explore residency because even though it was a privately run facility, the staff is important to us, and we see it as part of our duty to help in these circumstances,” he said.
Green added that he was expecting a preliminary report on the incident in short order.
DONOR ACCOUNT
Those interested in making financial contributions can do so through the following account: #WalkersPlaceOfSafety National Commercial Bank Duke Street, Kingston Account number: 061018964 Account name: Child Development Agency