After three decades, ‘Cyril Ross’ shuts its doors

By Lara Pickford-Gordon

snrwriter.camsel@catholictt.org

Diverging views have been given regarding the recent closure of the Cyril Ross Home, Tunapuna.

The Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (CATT) on Sunday, January 4, issued a media release responding to “inaccuracies” in media reports on the closure of the Home.

According to the release: “Contrary to reports suggesting the closure resulted from a failure to receive a residence licence, the Children’s Authority wishes to state unequivocally that the Cyril Ross Children’s Home held a conditional Licence up to its voluntary cessation of operations on December 31, 2025, which allowed it to operate and provide residential care to children.”

The Residence Licence is granted in accordance with the Children’s Community Residences, (Children’s Homes) Regulations 2018.

Cyril Ross was an institution managed by the Trinidad and Tobago Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP). Since 1994, it has been a residential facility to provide medical care and support for children who are HIV positive.

The CATT release stated early last year the SVP notified of “its consideration to voluntarily cease operations due to its inability to meet all the criteria for full licensure.”

It went on to report that CATT offered considerable efforts through stakeholder engagement to explore opportunities “that might have supported the continued operation of the Home.” The release stated the SVP “determined that continuing operations was not viable given the challenges they faced”.

It went on to state the physical and emotional well-being of the children were a priority throughout, and the process of voluntary cessation was conducted through planned coordination between the Society and the CATT, to ensure continuity of care.

The three residents of the Home were relocated “to safe and appropriate placements in accordance with each child’s best interests.”

The release mentioned the CATT’s statutory obligation under the law to ensure that Homes licensed meet legal requirements. However, it added that human resource matters, recruitment and staffing are decisions of the respective boards of management of Homes.

The release stated the CATT advised the SVP of its willingness to facilitate future applications if the SVP intended to operate a children’s Home in the future.

SVP National Council President Nigel Phillip told The Catholic News that Cyril Ross had been operating with a provisional licence. He informed that the Office of the Prime Minister financially supported critical work to be undertaken for it to become compliant.

The work included: increasing the height of the perimeter fence, installation of signage and emergency lighting, plumbing repairs, and installation of a fire escape. Fire safety and health certification were obtained. A wall and gate were erected, which separated the Children’s Home and the Transitional Facility for clients 18 years and older. Renovation was done on the Facility.

Phillip said the young adults “were seen as family” and continued to receive support with food, laundry etc from caregivers. Action was taken on administrative and governance requirements.

Phillip said the SVP tried to keep the Home operational. He said the State provided funding on a pay/child basis to meet the needs of the child. It was also used for staff salaries and bills but with few residents in care, he said the SVP had to absorb costs.

There were about 12 members of staff but their salaries were being paid late, “every two to three months”. Phillip said when he became SVP President in 2022, there were ten residents at the Home: seven females and three males; many of the children were subsequently placed into foster care. For 2024–2025, two teen boys were placed at the Home; however, they left the facility without permission October 2024 and July 2025. The name of the Cyril Ross Nursery was legally changed in 2020 to the Cyril Ross Children’s Home, a move intended to expand the intake of children to those who were not HIV positive. Phillip said the State assisted with all the legal fees associated with the name change.

Last September, the SVP began liaising with the CATT on applying for a new licence and fulfilling the necessary changes to guidelines, operating policies, and procedures to operate as a full children’s Home.

Phillip said the “SVP carried the Home” financially for three years with the hope that more children would be placed but instead it was running up increasing expenses to keep it open. “We tried to have various dialogues with the Children’s Authority,” Phillip said.