Barbados is moving away from heavily institutionalised models of care for vulnerable young people, shifting instead towards more supportive, home-like environments, Prime Minister Mia Mottley said on Saturday.
She made the remarks during the opening of a new residential facility for youth aged 12 to 18 at Holders Hill, St James, positioning it as part of a wider reform of the country’s childcare system.
The Young People’s Village at Holders, developed by the Barbados Children’s Trust in partnership with the Social Empowerment Agency, aims to transition residents from the more structured environment of the Nightingale Children’s Village into a setting that promotes independence and life skills.
The facility forms part of the government’s effort to replace rigid institutional settings with environments that better support emotional development and stability among young people.
“We have a duty, and we don’t want to use a Victorian approach to the delivery of social care services because that didn’t work either,” Mottley said, adding that efforts are being made “to remove the institutional feel as much as possible.”
Within that context, she told staff and stakeholders that their role extends beyond routine duties to shaping the future of the young people in their care.
“You are not just doing a job, you are raising citizens and children to become adults,” she said, as she underscored the importance of guidance grounded in values and example. She also outlined three national priorities driving social policy: reducing poverty, removing injustice and creating opportunities, particularly for vulnerable children.
Mottley warned against a culture of entitlement, maintaining that personal responsibility remains critical to national development.
“Nobody owes us a living,” she said, while urging Barbadians to take a more active role in supporting young people. She emphasised that parenting and youth development require collective effort, adding, “It takes a village to raise a child,” as she called on communities to invest time in mentoring and support.
She added there was a need to strengthen conflict resolution skills among young people, linking poor communication to incidents of violence and encouraging more open and respectful dialogue.
While noting that Barbados continues to maintain a relatively high quality of life, she cautioned that complacency could undermine future progress if responsibility is not shared across society.
The PM pointed to the development of a broader national care system, including facilities for elderly persons and differently-abled adults, supported through partnerships with organisations such as the Barbados Children’s Trust. She stressed that collaboration among government, the private sector and civil society remains essential, and noted that renewable energy solutions, including solar installations at the facility, form part of efforts to reduce vulnerability to external shocks.
Mottley further disclosed that the government has allocated $5 million to faith-based organisations to support youth programmes and community development, describing these initiatives as critical to strengthening community support systems.
Encouraging young people to take advantage of available opportunities, she said the facility represents a second chance and a pathway to a better future. “This is to make you a believer again in the possibilities of life… it is possible to achieve greatness, it is possible to be a good citizen, it is possible to be a good human being.” (SZB)
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