System broken HELP Needed for Children in DCFS Residential Care

In what is becoming an almost daily occurrence, the Bermuda Police Service today issued yet another Missing Person’s appeal for a minor who is reportedly a resident of a government care facility.

Thankfully each time the teenager has gone missing this far, he has been located in good health after a few hours. Alrhough, on at least one occasion it was not until the next day that he was found.

There is growing concern as to how the young man is apparently able to wantonly leave the care facility. Is it because of lazed security? Who will be held responsible if he comes to harm while having absconded?

What’s more, there are extensive police resources being expended in efforrts to find him each time he goes “missing”. Officers have a duty of care and so, we’re told, have a responsibility to go in search of the young man.

Ironically, without any assistance from staff at the care facility from which he goes AWOL. The situation reportedly does not sit well with police officers who find themselves in a catch 22 position.

That being, while officers should be focusing on more serious crime matters, they also cannot avoid responding to calls for assistance in locating a minor who has been reported to them as missing.

This is not the first time that local law enforcement has been faced with such a situation. There have in the past been other repeat absconders from government care facilities.

So why are these young people able to simply walk out of these facilities and what measures are there to prevent this repeatedly happening? These are questions which we put to the Department of Child and Family Services in the past, without receiving any response.

The Department of Child and Family Services comes under the purview of Tinee Furbert, Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors. We will be reaching out to her directly about this situation and provide you any updates as they become available.

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