Stop the Inhumane Separation of Hospitalized Children from Their Caregivers!

A Call to End a Barbaric, Unethical, and Unconstitutional Practice

Imagine a frightened, sick child lying in a hospital bed, surrounded by strangers, denied the comforting presence of their mother or father. Now imagine that child crying out for a familiar voice, a warm embrace, but instead, they are left alone in a sterile, unfamiliar environment. This is not just cruel; it is a barbaric and unethical practice that violates the most basic human rights of children and their families.

In many hospitals in Jamaica, policies still prevent the primary caregiver from staying with their child overnight, citing outdated and bureaucratic reasons. This practice is not just harmful—it is a direct violation of international human rights standards and constitutional protections for children.

The Psychological and Medical Impact of Separation

Medical and psychological research overwhelmingly supports the necessity of parental presence for hospitalized children. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), children experience less stress, recover faster, and have better overall outcomes when their caregivers remain by their side. The WHO’s guidelines for the care of hospitalized children emphasize the critical importance of family-centred care, ensuring that parents are not only allowed but encouraged to stay with their child throughout hospitalization.

Separation from caregivers has been shown to cause increased anxiety, depression, and trauma, particularly in younger children who do not fully understand why they are being left alone. Studies have found that children who are hospitalized without a caregiver present experience higher levels of distress, decreased cooperation with treatment, and prolonged recovery times. The long-term psychological effects can be devastating, leading to attachment disorders, anxiety disorders, and even post-traumatic stress.

What possible justification could exist for such a heartless policy?

Weak Excuses Do Not Justify This Harmful Policy

Hospitals often cite a lack of space, infection control concerns, confidentiality and hospital security policies as reasons for preventing parents from staying with their child. These excuses are not only inadequate, but they also reflect poor planning, outdated hospital management, and a disregard for best medical practices. Nonetheless let us consider them.

Lack of Space: Hospitals claim they do not have the room to accommodate caregivers, yet they have space for administrative offices and non-essential areas. If space is an issue, then the hospital’s priorities must be restructured to put patient well-being first. Other hospitals around the world make accommodations, so why can’t ours?

Infection Control: Preventing parents from staying does not stop infections—it increases stress and weakens immune responses in children. Proper infection control involves hygiene measures, not separating children from their caregivers. Many hospitals worldwide allow parents to stay while following strict hygiene protocols. We can do the same.

Security and Hospital Policies: Some hospitals argue that allowing parents to stay may create security risks or disrupt hospital procedures. But isn’t the hospital’s primary duty to ensure patient-centred care? With proper policies, designated waiting areas, and identification protocols, this concern is easily managed.

Confidentiality of Other Patients: Some may argue that allowing parents to stay violates the confidentiality of other patients. However, this is a misinterpretation of medical privacy laws. Visitors will inevitably see other patients on the ward, as is the case in any shared hospital setting. What should be kept confidential is patient information and diagnoses, which are stored in patient charts, not casual observations of who is receiving care. Banning caregivers on this basis is not only illogical but also an excuse to maintain outdated and harmful policies.

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when hospitals introduced stricter infection control measures, many leading healthcare institutions worldwide still permitted caregivers to stay with their hospitalized children. The WHO, UNICEF, and major paediatric health organizations globally advocated for parental presence, emphasizing that the risks of separation far outweigh the potential risk of viral transmission. The pandemic should never have been used as an excuse to deny a child the comfort of their parent, especially when PPE, testing, and other precautions were available.

These excuses reflect laziness and resistance to change, rather than legitimate barriers to improving paediatric care. The world has moved towards family-centred healthcare—why are we still clinging to outdated, harmful practices?