The Government’s Throne Speech pledge to conduct a full review of the Children Act 1998 was in part prompted by an increase in mental health challenges among young people.

Tinée Furbert, the youth minister, said that the assessment would focus on putting best practices in place, “particularly concerning the psychological problems being faced by Bermuda’s youth”.

Ms Furbert said: “The review was initiated to address the evolving needs of Bermuda’s children and families, particularly in light of increasing mental health challenges among young people.

“It also reflects the Government’s commitment to ensuring the highest standards of child welfare and protection.”

A recent study of mental health in pupils aged 10 to 19 was conducted by Daniel Cavanagh, a PhD student at the University of Melbourne, in partnership with Shawnee Basden, a clinical psychologist at Solstice, as well as the Department of Education and participating private schools

It showed that 31 per cent of those surveyed, representing 76 per cent of middle school and high school students, had “moderate to severe” symptoms of depression or anxiety. Mr Cavanagh said the figure was about 5 per cent to 6 per cent higher than global averages during the pandemic.

Ms Furbert said the review would engage a wide range of stakeholders, including the Department of Child and Family Services, foster care representatives, adoption agencies, daycare providers, residential homes, mental health professionals and relevant community organisations.

The Government plans to involve the wider public as part of the consultation process, ensuring that the voices of parents, caregivers and community members are heard.

Public consultation is expected to take place within the next few months.

“Specific dates will be announced as plans are finalised,” Ms Furbert said.

She added: “External consultancy services may be considered to provide expertise and support during the review. This will depend on the scope of the review and the availability of in-house resources.”

Ms Furbert said she hoped the review could be completed this year but said the timeline “may be adjusted based on the complexity of the findings and consultations”.

The Throne Speech said a review of the Act aimed to ensure that “its provisions are in keeping with modern best practice, flexible enough to handle the additional dimensions of caring for children in 2025”.

The Act covers foster care, adoption, parental responsibility, daycare and residential homes, as well as safeguarding children from harm and promoting family integrity.

It also mandates care and supervision services for children in need.

Child advocates in the third sector weighed in on the debate last week, outlining areas they believe should be prioritised.

Debi Ray-Rivers, the founder of Saving Children and Revealing Secrets, said the creation of a child advocacy centre should be considered to bring protection services under one roof.

Sandy De Silva, the executive director of Family Centre, said that the Act should seek to meet international standards while strengthening early intervention measures.

Kelly Hunt, the executive director of the Coalition for the Protection of Children, said outcomes should include further data collection from multiple agencies, improved software for law enforcement, as well as online child safety control support for caregivers and learning institutions.

Staff from Child and Adolescent Services, Family Centre and Solstice have been working together as part of the Adolescent Mental Health Research Working Group to ensure a continuous care pathway for adolescents in need of mental healthcare.