Seven youths who attempted suicide last year were taken into protective custody after the events.

Health Minister Nelson Bascome yesterday clarified the fact after a report that the incidents took place while the youths were in custody.

Mr. Bascome had revealed during the Budget debate on the Health Ministry on Tuesday: "There were seven suicide attempts by clients in this service.'' While speaking on the residential treatment facility, he had also listed a number of other disturbing client statistics including high truancy rates, drug problems and violent behaviour.

Mr. Bascome also noted that 90 percent of the children in custody came from single parent homes, and 41 percent were victims of child neglect and experienced violence in their homes.

Director of the Coalition for the Protection of Children, Kit Swainson, said the figures highlighted the dire need for people to change their behaviour and for single parents to be given more support.

"Instead of criticising we must assist and do all we can because the problem is clearly there,'' she said. "Single parents are definitely having a difficult time as 90 percent of the children in custody come from single parent homes.

"We need a big campaign to shift the focus from violence to communication,'' she added, "and it needs to be seen all the way at the top.

"It seems the regular practice now is to use violence to resolve conflict, just look at the boys over the weekend.

"We need new tools. We need to teach people better communication skills and problem solving techniques.'' Stressing the importance of nurturing and keeping children safe, Ms Swainson held that more preventative measures need to be implemented before children are sent to residential care.

"Prevention needs to come before they go to the home,'' she said. "Children need to be protected, nurtured and kept safe so that they are better equipped to handle challenges. We have to step up what we already do so that they can have a chance at life.'' The Coalition for the Protection of Children has conflict resolution programmes in all Bermuda's primary and middle schools. The organisation also offers anger stress management courses for children and for adults and "heart math'', a bio-feedback technique to manage actions.