News

On Friday March 18, the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) held an awards ceremony in which it recognised its outstanding social workers and DCFS staff.

During the month of March, DCFS has undertaken a program of activities to highlight the profession of social work and to celebrate its impact on the people of the Cayman Islands. The awards event held on Friday followed World Social Work day, which was observed on Tuesday, March 15.

Notably at this event, DCFS announced employee Marilyn Inniss as the awardee of the 2021 Joyce Hylton Social Worker of the Year Award. (Other award winners outlined below)

The late Ms. Joyce Hylton MBE, one of the Cayman Islands’ National Heroes, was a committed reformer who advanced social welfare throughout her life. Given in her name, the award recognises a social worker who is a strong advocate for clients, displays a profound passion for young people and the elderly, and who is well respected by colleagues, agency partners and clients.

At the event, director of DCFS Paulinda Mendoza-Williams addressed the audience and stated: “The time is always right for social work. No matter what conditions we may be dealing with, from individual human tragedy and trauma, to full scale global pandemics and war, our profession tirelessly works to keep our children safe, our elderly protected and cared for, keeps families together, supports our youth for their future, advocates for the needs of vulnerable adults. Social workers promote partnerships that are solution oriented in addressing social issues such as homelessness, hunger, and unemployment. And we empower communities to work together for the benefit of all.”

Mendoza-Williams said that Friday’s award recipients exemplify professional commitment and dedication, as well as personal characteristics that underpin their success within DCFS, with its clients and the wider community.

At the event on Friday morning, the Hon. Minister for Social Development André Ebanks expressed profound thanks and appreciation to social workers, calling their work the “the often unseen tie that binds society together.” In his remarks, the Minister offered a contemporary parallel to an article written in 1970 by Ms. Joyce Hylton, in reflecting on Cayman’s economic success and ensuring that no one is left behind (a theme of World Social Work Day this year).

The Hon. Minister stated:

“International Social Work Day in 2022 celebrates ‘the time is right’. I echo the sentiments of Ms. Mendoza-Williams, that the time is always right for social work. And I add to that, the time is right to advance and enhance the framework around social work. Government is now directly focused on real change within that framework – with a whole team within the Ministry of Investment, Innovation and Social Development fully dedicated to pursuing upgrades, reforms, and wholescale transformations.

“Along the way, we undoubtedly will have challenges, and differences of opinion, and it will take time and patience. Being committed to the vision of enhanced social development, we will make a measurable dent in the same issues highlighted by Ms. Joyce in 1970 – leaving no one behind, and ensuring that our priorities are aligned for the benefit of all in our Cayman Islands community.”

At the opening Church service for Social Work Month, on Sunday 6 March, Ms. Heather Bodden, MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Social Development, stated:

“In the Cayman Islands and around the world, social workers weave a vital thread between myriad, complex social development issues.

“Here and elsewhere, our social workers play a crucial role as advocates whose work serves to empower vulnerable people, those who may lack the ability to speak for themselves – including but certainly not limited to children, families, people with disabilities, and older persons in our community.

“Social workers delicately navigate a constantly evolving society – and in this way they delicately straddle the role of being both agents of change, and advocates for change.”

In attendance, in addition to DCFS staff, Ms. Mendoza Williams, Minister Ebanks, and PS Bodden, were Ministry of Investment, Innovation and Social Development Chief Officer Eric Bush, Deputy Chief Officer Tamara Ebanks, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, and keynote speaker Dr. Christopher Williams.