Girls of A Feather (GOAF) has launched a national media campaign under the theme, “Connect to Protect,” to increase public awareness of victim-support services available through its Independent Child Protection Advisory (ICPA) programme.
The launch sets in motion a series of public-education initiatives bringing into focus the practical support accessible to children and families affected by abuse, and introduces the official ICPA ambassadors promoting the programme’s services.
Parents, guardians, educators, peers and community members can expect to learn how to respond safely and appropriately when a child discloses abuse, receive guidance on what follows a formal report and understand the role of the ICPA advisor as a support throughout the child protection response process. Introduced in November 2025, the ICPA programme provides free, confidential advocacy and accompaniment to boys and girls under 18 who have experienced physical or sexual abuse, or neglect.
According to data from the Vulnerable Persons Team, in 2024 Saint Lucia recorded 204 reports of sexual offences – 151 of which involved children under 18.
Against this backdrop, the ICPA programme addresses a critical need for sustained, child-centered guidance throughout the formal child-protection response. Each child and family supported through the ICPA programme is paired with a trained advisor who serves as a consistent point of contact coordinating services, ensuring follow-ups and preparing them to navigate each stage of any related protection or court proceeding.
“When child abuse is disclosed, suspected or reported, timely intervention and continuous support can make an important difference in a child’s recovery and ability to navigate the systems around them. While Saint Lucia has only one mandated child protection agency, our goal is to work alongside government agencies to provide services such as safeguarding, therapy, court support and other forms of assistance, as not every child who experiences abuse is assigned a social worker or has consistent support throughout the process. This is where Independent Child Protection Advisors can play an important role – providing early, child-centred support and helping children and their families navigate the available services and systems from the point of disclosure or referral through their ongoing recovery,” said Chelsea Foster, Programme Manager of the Independent Child Protection Advisory Programme.
The public can expect radio and digital public-service announcements, mass-text messaging and a national school tour. Digicel Saint Lucia, campaign sponsor, has also supported the island-wide distribution of public-awareness information.
The ICPA programme is funded by the European Union.