Overview of National Child Month Committee
Dr. Cecily Williams, an internationally known Jamaican pediatrician, promoted the idea that a month be devoted to the Children of Jamaica. This received overwhelming support and the first Children’s Month Committee (as it was called at that time), chaired by Lady Foote, the wife of the then Governor-General, was formed in 1953. May was designated as Chil
dren’s Month and the Council of Voluntary Social Services was asked to coordinate the activities which included children services, lectures, broadcasts, children concerts, dramatic presentations and competitions. The first committee comprised of the Child Welfare Association, now VOUCH, the Jamaica Children’s Services Society and the Jamaica Save the Children Fund. Since 1961, the National Child Month Committee has expanded to include representatives of Government and Non-Government institutions, working in the interest of the children of Jamaica. Presently, the committee is made up of 40 Agencies who are each working everyday to improve the lives of the children they serve. Our efforts during Child Month serve only to highlight our shared concern and vision for the children of Jamaica.
