PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES /CHILD  PERPETRATOR SUPPORT  UNIT

 OBJECTIVES:

• ​to ensure that members of the public benefit from  quality psychological service with the aim to improve the  psychological wellbeing of clients referred to the ministry;
• To ensure effective psychological service delivery  at the level of the various departments  of the  ministry through proper monitoring and evaluation of such services;
• To  respond to requests from  relevant stakeholders  in respect of psychological services such as court ordered  psychological evaluation or treatment services in line with the mandate of the  ministry .
• To  cater for the psychological  needs  of  juvenile offenders  and provide appropriate psychological treatment programmes designed and targeted to assist child perpetrators to develop skills to reduce reoffending.
• To attend to requests from different stakeholders namely the DPP and the Judiciary  with respect to forensic psychological evaluation of juvenile offenders,child victims/witnesses and perpetrators of domestic violence.
• To provide Pretrial support and post trial  follow up for minors  involved in court proceedings
•  research  and development of  evidenced based psychological interventions
• continuous professional development of  professionals  of the Ministry.
• Assisting in formulation of policies and legislations
•  Designing and conducting training programs for officers working in the department and    stakeholders ,taking into consideration their specific training needs. and training of staff   and  stakeholders who deal with child victims/witnesses and juvenile offenders.
• Advising other stakeholders namely the DPP ,the police and the judicial system on  psycholegal   issues

TARGET GROUP:

• Child perpetrators/victims/witnesses under 18
• victims of genderbased violence[adults]
• Perpetrators of genderbased violence[adults]
• Couples in conflicts
• Adult and children suffering from other mental health issues.

Areas of intervention and Services offered:

• Assessment of criminal responsibility, risk assessment& competency to stand trial
• Psychodiagnosis & Psychotherapeutic treatment ; Provide assessment, psychological treatment and risk management for child perpetrators  with personality disorder etc
• research related to behavioural change techniques.
• Psychological treatment services for child victims/witness and adult victims.
• advising  on legislation, policies on matters related to  juvenile offenders and their rehabilitation
• Implementing  policy decisions related to psychological assistance/support of juvenile offenders.
• Ensuring that  risk strategies are consistent with evidence-based practice
• Work towards Relapse prevention
• Providing pretrial support and post trial follow up for victims /witnesses [child and adult]involved in court proceedings [new project]
• psycholegal  interventions  in terms of custody evaluation                                            
• provision of expert witness testimony in child abuse cases
• facilitating the interview process[criminal investigation] involving child victims/witnesses.

Mechanism in place

17 psychologists are attached to this section under the technical supervision of senior most psychologist/senior psychologist.

A pooling exercise has been carried out with the aim to provide an integrated approach when effecting psychological interventions to children and families.

One psychologist has been   assigned cases of juvenile offenders referred by relevant stakeholders.[police,DPP etc]

Amongst 20, 2 psychologist have resigned from the ministry and one is on leave without pay till October 2020.​​