Responsible parenthood key to decline of juvenile delinquents in Ifugao town

By Daniel B. Codamon

Sunday 16th of September 2012

KIANGAN, Ifugao, Sept. 16 (PIA) -- Cases of Children-in-Conflict with the Law (CICL) or juvenile delinquents in this municipality dropped during the third quarter of this year as compared with cases registered during the first semester.

Social worker Adora Licyayo of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) here claims that the decline can be credited to the greater and better understanding and appreciation of parents on responsible parenthood as an intervention. The topic is regularly taught and emphasized during family sessions conducted to the affected families and parents.

Licyayo said that there were five cases of CICL during the first quarter of 2012 and four cases for the second quarter mostly involving theft. Only one case was reported from July to date involving an attempted sexual abuse by a 17-year-old boy. All the incidents involved children ranging 10 to 17 years old.

Licyayo, who is in charge of the CICL program and intervention, has been conducting case studies about the families and backgrounds of the child offenders.

She discovered that most of the CICL were entrusted by their parents to their nearest relatives with the purpose of helping them in their household works, assist in their education expenses, and also help in disciplining their children, but unfortunately had a reverse effect.

On the other hand, the juvenile delinquents, when interviewed, said that they committed the offenses because they were tempted to do it and also because they are poor and they have nothing to do.

Furthermore, they said that they felt they were abandoned by their parents when they entrusted them to their relatives forcing them to engage in some vices such as gambling, drinking, smoking, and even stealing.

To address these problems of the CICL, Licyayo scheduled regular meetings with the parents of the child offenders called case management conferences discussing the issues involved and the consequences of the offenses committed by their children including counseling sessions by giving them advises and teaching them about responsible parenthood.

Overaged out-of-school-children were also encouraged to enroll in the informal classes of the Alternative Learning System of the Department of Education so that they can finish their elementary or secondary education while some were hired under the Special Program for the Employment of Students for them to engage in productive activities.

The parents are also being closely monitored and observed by the MSWDO and are glad to note parents are currently serious in making reparations of their parental lapses and promised to be responsible parents by establishing a closer bond with their children and applying what they learned about responsible parenthood.

Licyayo said they are very grateful that their efforts are paying off with great result, leading to the belief that responsible parenthood is really a vital key in preventing incidents of CICL. (JDP/DBC-PIA CAR, Ifugao)