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MADAME ESTATE--Seventeen Foundation Judiciary Institutes Windward Island SJIB and Court of Guardianship social workers, as well as behavioural specialists and school counsellors, completed a training course aimed at improving their skills in dealing with people, especially the youth, with mild intellectual impairments.

A ceremony took place on Friday during which the participants received certificates for completing the three-day course. The course was made possible by the Ministry of Justice and co-funded by USONA. It aimed at recognising mild intellectual impairments in clients, particularly in youths, and dealing with them according to recognised guidance methods.

The course was provided by Dutch William Schrikkergroep (WSG) instructor and senior project manager Lidwien Schulten together with Denise Pestana, remedial specialist and manager of the Departments of Social Work and Treatment, Guidance and Research in Curaçao.

Background

Instructor Schulten said that organisations on the island have noticed for a number of years that youths with mild intellectual impairments increasingly experience serious problems. This is a problem which also occurs in other countries, including the Netherlands and Curaçao, and due to the fact that our society is focussed more and more on the needs of individuals, people cannot always count on support from their family or from the community.

Schulten explained that for youths with mild intellectual impairments there are added challenges in becoming an independent and responsible adult. The term mild intellectual impairment applies to people who have an IQ between 50 and 85. They often have limited social adjustment skills, and often have multiple problems, including learning difficulties. The average IQ is 100.

Youths with mild intellectual impairments often don’t look visibly different, and as a result of their impairments not being recognised, they may experience problems at school, in contacts with other children and adults, including at home. These youths are often easily influenced, and as a result experience problems such as criminal behaviour, sexual abuse and teenage pregnancies.

Adults with mild intellectual impairments often don’t have the necessary qualifications to find work, and may find it difficult to maintain a job. They are at an increased risk of living in poverty, and may experience difficulties in raising their own children, Schulten said.  

Some 16 percent of people in any given country may qualify as having a mild intellectual impairment, including in St. Maarten. This means some 8,000 people in St. Maarten could suffer from mild intellectual impairments. Of course not all of these people end up getting in trouble. A large number manage, with the help of counsellors, social workers or their own social network, to live satisfactory lives.

However, an increasing number of youths cannot cope, and end up getting into difficulties. Organisations such as the Court of Guardianship and the SJIB acknowledge that a large number of their clients suffer from mild intellectual impairments, and many of those have problems adjusting socially. Only limited knowledge and means to address the issues of these youths are available on the island.

Trainers

Remedial teacher Pestana has years of experience in providing similar training to local professionals in Curaçao. This had led to more than 500 people in Curaçao working in various departments, including the police, recognising the issues connected with mild intellectual impairments.

Pestana said: “When we started to emphasise problems related to mild intellectual impairments in the press, the community and to the government, we were initially met with resistance. It was as if we were accused of stigmatising people. However, at the same time it became clear how big the issues are that these people are dealing with, and what the cost is to society when appropriate care is not available.

“Analysis inside prisons showed that 70 per cent of all young inmates had a low intelligence, without any specialist guidance or re-socialising opportunities being available. The Court of Guardianship, probation service and youth detention centres also saw a large number of clients with mild intellectual impairments.

“Since then, the problems of this target group are being recognised in Curaçao, and slowly but surely, training, help and care is made available.”

Schulten said “awareness and recognising specific problems of this target group is the first step towards improving appropriate support, and the necessary investment into this by government and organisations. ‘Social return of investment’ applies. Ignoring the issue doesn’t only cause damage to people with mild intellectual impairments, but also to society and the community. With the right input of professionals and means a lot of this damage can be prevented.

“When a mild intellectual impairment is recognised in a timely manner, associated problems can be addressed in a timely manner, and can lead to children, youths and adults afflicted leading a fulfilled life and contributing positively to society.”

St. Maarten

Cynthia van Samson-Filemon, acting director of SJIB, and Richelda Rodriguez-Emmanuel, director of the Court of Guardianship, are on the Judiciary Youth Commission together with Youth Prosecutor Karola van Nie.

They stated: “This first training was an important eye opener to us and to the people in our departments. The participants recognised their clients in the theoretical and practical examples, and can move forward working with the tools they learned to offer appropriate guidance.

“It is very important to increase awareness and knowledge of mild intellectual impairments in St. Maarten, and that we receive support so we can develop a methodical approach and appropriate policies.

“It is paramount to offer this type of training to other professional groups, such as people in education or in foster homes. This could be done by having local instructors trained who can deliver the course on the island. We also HOPE to continue talks as soon as possible with the relevant ministries about putting policies in place and the necessary investments to achieve this.”