A spirited debate erupted during a sitting of Parliament’s joint select committee reviewing the Child Diversion Act on Wednesday, after Government Senator Sherene Golding-Campbell questioned why licensed psychologists, who are already vetted by their professional regulatory body, must undergo additional background checks before being allowed to work with children in the Child Diversion Programme.

However, committee members, including chairman Delroy Chuck, argued that the additional scrutiny is essential because vulnerable children are involved, insisting that no safeguard should be overlooked when selecting professionals to work in the programme.

The disagreement emerged as the committee examined provisions of the Act dealing with how counsellors and psychologists are approved to provide services under the Child Diversion Programme, which seeks to rehabilitate children who come into conflict with the law rather than exposing them to the formal court system.