GRAND
CAYMAN (GIS) –
The
Department of Counselling Services (DCS) and two of its units have
relocated to their new home at 87 West Apollo House on Mary Street,
George Town. The Family Resource Centre (FRC) and the Counselling
Centre (TCC) co-located last week. The Department’s third entity is
the Caribbean Haven Residential Centre in Breakers.

According
to the FRC’s Programme Coordinator, Charmaine Miller, the
relocation serves several long-held goals.

“We
have co-located because we share some mutual clients and this allows
us to adopt a more strategically joined-up approach,” she said.

“Given
that FRC and TCC run some complementary services, it helps to have
both parenting and counselling-related services sited in the same
building. Clients can now move from one section of the department to
the next to access enhanced services more easily than ever.”

The
offices, located across from JEC Property Consultants, now have
further client-focused benefits. More spacious than their former open
plan location on North Sound Road, FRC’s parent coaches now each
have their own offices to allow for individualised parenting services
for families in more private settings. Also, with the increased
space, the FRC has the flexibility to run more programmes in future.

“The
move is already promoting more collaboration between our agencies,”
said DCS Director Judith Seymour.

“Another
advantage is that we have been able to greatly increase face-to-face
meetings with clients. Previously both the FRC and TCC found that
there was high demand on the one evening we offered walk-in services
after regular working hours. We have now added a second evening and
opened up other spaces during the week. In addition, other changes
have made our office hours more responsive and more client-friendly
while allowing greater scope for synergy between our programmes,”
she concluded.

Revised
intake hours are significantly increased, and are now offered on
Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays
from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Commenting
on the move, the Minister for Health, Hon. Dwayne Seymour said: “The
co-location shows the department’s commitment to advancing one of
Government’s key outcome goals, which is having stronger
communities and support for the most vulnerable.”

The co-location is part of the DCS’s wider client-centred approach, which includes its newly-launched multi-agency website, www.dcs.gov.ky

IMAGES:

Caption
and photos Elphina Jones (GIS)

Photo1:
The FRC’s new nursery at their offices in the West Apollo Building,
Mary Street, George Town.

Photo2:
One of the group rooms at
Department of Counselling Services’ new location in the West Apollo
Building, Mary Street, George Town.

Photo5:
FRC’s Programmes Coordinator Charmaine Miller in the West Apollo
Building, Mary Street, George Town.

Photo6:
The Department of
Counselling Services’ new offices in the West Apollo Building, Mary
Street, George Town (opposite JEC Property Consultants).