Children who have lost a father to gun violence need a continuum of care so that “history does not repeat itself”, a community activist told parliamentarians yesterday.Gina Spence, whose son-in-law James “Junior” Lawes was shot dead just under a year ago, said there were 21 children, including her grandson, that were highly vulnerable and needed to be tracked.She said children as young as two-years-old were feeling the pain of their parent’s death, but couldn’t easily express how they feel.As a result there should be a follow-up system in place, including helping services specific to their needs and a strong support system.According to Ms Spence, these are key factors needed so that history does not repeat itself.“Some just aren’t old enough, others may not be able to vocalise, but all may grow up to express themselves in other negative ways.“We can’t imagine the long-lasting effects that these shooting murders will have on their young lives.”Speaking yesterday to the joint select committee on violent crime and gun violence, she said she was talking on behalf of every family impacted by gun violence on the Island.She proposed several solutions including encouraging more leaders to take time to meet with affected families and talk with victims.She also said an emergency response team should be set up for families to get counselling and be walked through the grieving process.Another solution was to hold a National Day of mourning and prayer, led by the Premier and supported by church, corporate and community leaders.She said the day would “acknowledge the tragedy that has taken place and how we all were impacted by it, but never took the time to grieve, pray and heal together”.It would be impactful if mothers of slain rappers Christopher Wallace “Biggie Smalls” and Tupac Shakur visited the Island to speak, she told The Royal Gazette.Youth mentor George Scott Smith, told the committee that many solutions to the Island’s gang problems were simple.The Pembroke Seventh Day Adventist Church member, said people had to get “back to the basics” and teach children moral discipline.He said many troubled young people lacked spiritual guidance and said parents had allowed Hollywood to raise its children and taken God out of the household.“We have kicked God out of our homes, schools and, I hate to say, even our churches.“Now we have taken away Almighty God and put in His place what some call the Almighty dollar. This is our dilemma.”