The Ministry of Health, Environment and Sustainability has appointed Carolina Ferreira as its first Designated Safeguarding Lead, creating a new senior role to strengthen the protection of children and vulnerable adults across the ministry's portfolio.

The appointment comes as the Cayman Islands government has identified safeguarding as a priority under its Strategic Policy Statement and follows an increase in recorded sexual offences against children.

The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service's annual crime and traffic statistics report, released in April, recorded 125 sexual offences in 2025, driven primarily by increases in reported defilement offences involving girls under 12 and 16, and offences involving indecent images of children. Police said children accounted for 58% of all sexual offence victims recorded during the past year, with almost all of those victims’ female.

In the newly created position, Ms. Ferreira will provide strategic leadership for safeguarding, overseeing the development and implementation of policies, coordinating staff training, monitoring compliance and effectiveness, and leading awareness initiatives aimed at embedding a stronger safeguarding culture across the ministry.

Health Minister Katherine Ebanks-Wilks MP said healthcare professionals are often among the first to identify children and vulnerable adults at risk because they monitor children's development, provide care to older adults, deliver services in people's homes and build trusted relationships with patients and families.

"Healthcare professionals are often among the first to recognise when someone may be at risk," Ms. Ebanks-Wilks said. "Establishing this dedicated safeguarding role strengthens the systems, guidance and oversight that support staff across the Ministry in carrying out that responsibility."

The minister said youth mental health would also be a key focus of the ministry's safeguarding work, noting that abuse and neglect can have lasting effects on children's mental wellbeing and that the health sector has a greater role to play where mental health and safeguarding intersect.

Ferreira's background

Ms. Ferreira brings more than 20 years of experience in child protection, children's rights advocacy and safeguarding. Before joining the ministry in 2022 as communications manager, she held senior leadership roles with the Cayman Islands Red Cross, where she led the multi-agency ‘Protection Starts Here’ child sexual abuse prevention initiative, and later oversaw a regional safeguarding programme for British Red Cross overseas branches in the Caribbean. She has also represented the ministry on national child safeguarding and children's rights committees.

"I am committed to advancing a child rights-based approach to safeguarding that not only protects children from harm but also empowers them, strengthens families, and promotes long-term wellbeing," Ms. Ferreira said. She added that healthcare professionals are uniquely positioned to identify vulnerability, provide support and work with partner agencies to protect those most at risk.

Chief Officer Tamara Ebanks said the ministry had long recognised the need for dedicated safeguarding leadership because of its implications for legislation, policy, professional practice and inter-agency collaboration.

"For more than two decades, Carolina has demonstrated exceptional leadership, unwavering commitment, and a genuine passion for protecting children and vulnerable people," Ms. Ebanks said. "We are proud to have someone with her depth of experience, subject matter expertise, and understanding of the Cayman Islands leading this work."

The role forms part of a wider government effort to bolster safeguarding standards and improve coordination among agencies responsible for protecting vulnerable members of the community. The longer-term question will be whether the new framework delivers measurable improvements in protection, accountability and outcomes across the Cayman Islands.