SANDALS FOUNDATION PART OF MULTI-AGENCY MOVE WITH INTERNATIONAL BACKING TO SUPPORT AUTISM CARE
OCHO RIOS, St Ann; Sept. 11, 2025
A week-long training course, part of a multi-agency initiative to support the care and development of families within the Autism community, has just ended in St Ann.
Sandals Foundation partnered with Autism Speaks, The Bob and Rita Marley Foundation, and The Color of Autism Foundation to host a series of trainings under the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Caregiver Skills Training (CST) programme. In collaboration with The MICO University College, which will evaluate the educational component of the programme, ten (10) master trainers were engaged to educate parents and caregivers of children with Autism and other developmental support needs at Sandals Resorts Ocho Rios and the St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital from September 8 – 12, 2025.
(Organizers and participating master trainers representing Early Stimulation Project, Community-based
Rehabilitation of Jamaica, Montego Bay Autism Centre, McCAM Child and Development Resource Centre, and
Parent Vision, Jamaica.)
In addition to the trainers, six families also participated in the sessions.
The Caregiver Skills Training programme is a globally recognized initiative informed by evidence, expert feedback, and worldwide field testing to create a pathway for a more informed approach to care. By helping parents and caregivers develop key skills for improved behavior, interactions, communication, and problem-solving skills, the programme fosters an enhancement in the quality of life.
As part of its mandate to empower Caribbean families through education and access to care, the
Sandals Foundation has joined the three-year partnership to train and certify ten master trainers annually. These master trainers will then lead capacity building sessions for trained and supervised non-specialists, social service workers, nurses, early childhood educational facilitators, teachers, and experienced caregivers – creating a sustainable, community-led training pipeline across Jamaica.
(Parent Corrette Foster-Ladrey, left, istens to tips to engage her 5-year-old son from Adama Blagrove,
Founder and Owner of the Montego Bay Autism Centre. Blagrove is one of 10 Master trainers trained at the
Caregiver Skills Training programme)
“The significance of parent training lies in empowering parents with the essential tools to effectively support their child’s journey,” says Camille Proctor, Executive Director at the Color of Autism Foundation. “The program aims to address the significant challenges in supporting children with developmental delays and disorders, particularly in underserved communities here in Jamaica.”
“The beauty of this Caregiver Skills Training Program is its adaptability to low-resource settings, says Dr. Pamela Dixon, Senior Director, Clinical Services and Inclusion at Autism Speaks. “It
can be integrated into existing services to support caregivers in defining specific goals needed for the training course, best suited for each family. It includes self-directed e-learning with eight hours of self-paced courses, utilizing low bandwidth, making it accessible even on mobile devices.” Says Dr. Dixon.
The Sandals Foundation and Sandals Resorts have committed to cash and in-kind support of US$162,000 covering the costs of online training, technical support, trainee stipends, printed training materials, on-the-ground transportation, airfare, accommodation, and in-person capacity building sessions throughout the entire three-year program.
Heidi, Clarke, Executive Director at the Sandals Foundation, says, “This programme is critical in ensuring the expansion of qualified individuals who are able to educate others on providing quality care to children with developmental needs. Together we can ensure that no child is left behind.”
Heidi Clarke, standing, Executive Director at Sandals Foundation, shares a moment with participants being trained at
the Caregiver Skills Training programme. From left are Sandrea Long-White and Lisandra Jureidini of Community
Based Rehabilitation Jamaica; P Mantle-Hayden and Charmin Wilks from Early Stim Programme)
And for Alicia Williams, Foundation Manager of the Bob and Rita Marley Foundation, “The initiative speaks to our mission of uplifting communities through social welfare, education, health, sports, and culture. Supporting families and caregivers of children with autism is an important step in breaking barriers and ensuring every child has the chance to grow, learn, and thrive.”
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