Senior Reporter
The Children’s Authority recorded 2,700 reports child abuse and maltreatment in the first half of this year, compared with the same period in 2025.
Responding to questions from Guardian Media via email yesterday, the Children’s Authority confirmed that this figure, recorded between January and July 2026, represented a decline of 11.9 per cent, when compared with the same period last year.
Providing the raw data, a spokesperson said this figure was down from 3,066 reports recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.
However, while most categories of child abuse appear to be trending downward, verbal abuse remains a concern, according to figures released by the authority.
On Wednesday, acting Superintendent Roger Reyes, of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service’s Special Victims Unit (SVU), reported declines in several categories of child abuse and gender-based violence between January and July 2026, compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
Among the improvements, Reyes noted an overall 9.4 per cent decrease in child protection offences.
He also reported that incidents of intimate partner violence declined by 40.3 per cent, while cases of cruelty to children fell by 33.1 per cent. Physical abuse linked to gender-based violence decreased by 35.7 per cent, and breaches of protection orders dropped by 57.9 per cent.
The authority yesterday stressed that while police are responsible for criminal investigations, its mandate is to conduct social investigations once a report is received.
A breakdown of abuse and maltreatment reports by category showed decreases across most forms of abuse.
Between January and July 2026, reports of neglect fell from 1,454 cases in 2025 to 1,272 cases. Sexual abuse reports declined from 771 to 730, while physical abuse reports dropped from 679 to 651.
Verbal abuse was the only category to record an increase, rising to 564 cases in 2026 from 511 during the same period last year.
Reflecting on the TTPS data, the authority said the downward trends were encouraging but cautioned that continued vigilance remains necessary.
“We remain mindful of the very real possibility of under-reporting of instances of child abuse and maltreatment.
“The authority therefore continues to encourage the public not to keep the abuse of children a secret. Child protection is everybody’s business, and we all have a role to play in safeguarding the nation’s children.”
Responding to advice issued by SVU officers on Wednesday, the authority urged parents and guardians to exercise caution when introducing people into their children’s lives. It noted that while children are often abused by individuals known to them, strangers and others cannot be ruled out as potential perpetrators.
“While primary caregivers account for a large number of perpetrators, it should be noted that anyone can be a perpetrator of abuse,” it said.
“The authority encourages parents and guardians to be vigilant with romantic partners and anyone who may have access to their children.”
According to data shared with Guardian Media, primary caregivers accounted for 55.1 per cent of identified perpetrators of child abuse between January and July 2026. Unknown individuals represented the second-largest group at 24.9 per cent. Other family members, excluding spouses or caregivers, accounted for 7.2 per cent of perpetrators, while persons with no relation to the child made up 3.7 per cent of cases.
Schoolmates accounted for 2.1 per cent, while family friends and neighbours represented 1.7 per cent.
Current or former intimate partners accounted for 1.5 per cent of perpetrators, the same proportion recorded under the category of “Other.” Siblings also represented 1.5 per cent of identified abusers.
Teachers and school officials accounted for 0.7 per cent of cases, while service providers represented 0.1 per cent. Other residents and members of the community accounted for 0.04 per cent.
The authority reminded the public that reports of child abuse can be made through its hotline at 996 or via its website, www.ttchildren.org.
