Good Afternoon Bermuda,
This afternoon, I am pleased to share with you the key initiatives that will be advanced through the 2025/26 Budget allocation for the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors. This budget reflects the continued investment the Government is making to support existing social services and programmes and introduce or enhance additional programmes to meet the needs of the most vulnerable members in our communities.
The Ministry received a total budget of $ 91.3 million for fiscal year 2025/26 an increase of $5.98 million, which covers the operational expenditure for the Ministry Headquarters inclusive of the Office of Youth Affairs, Ageing & Disability Services, the K. Margaret Carter Centre, the Department of Child & Family Services and the Department of Financial Assistance.
The increase in budget funding includes the union-negotiated salary uplift totaling $1.0 million, additional resources needed for new social sector programmes, such as the new Seniors Intellectual Disability Day Programme at the K. Margaret Carter Centre (KMCC); ($50,000) for expanded hours for the regular day care programme at KMCC, and the hiring of new specialist professionals (Nurse, Behaviour Therapist) to care for persons who are disabled with complex needs.
The Ministry’s budget increase demonstrates our continued commitment to Bermuda’s most vulnerable and cherished population groups: our children,persons with disabilities, our seniors and those who find themselves in economic need.
The Ministry will ensure that the services and programmes offered will directly impact and improve the overall well-being and quality of life for these population groups.
Let me provide an overview of the initiatives that will be undertaken by the Ministry this upcoming fiscal year:
The Office of Youth Affairs
The 2025/26 budget will provide an increase of $135,000 for community outreach through the community centres. This additional funding is attributed to expanded hours of work for the community workers in the central zone community centre to support parents and guardians who work shift hours and need to have their children in a safe environment. Many parents/guardians working in the restaurant and retail sectors in the city that close at 9:00 pm or later require suitable evening care.
The Western Zone Community Centre also extended its operational hours on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays to provide safe spaces for young people to have healthy engagement through sport, recreation and dining. This initiative is designed to engage the whole family, featuring friendly competition that facilitates gaming for all ages.
The 2025/26 budget will continue to support our before-school, after-school and out-of-school programmes for children and seniors.
Also, just over $200,000 has been budgeted this fiscal year to cover a wage uplift for miscellaneous workers who support the operations of programmes offered at the Community Centres.
Ageing and Disability Services
The Dementia Care Services Pilot Programme that the Ministry introduced in October 2023 will continue. Over 100 persons have benefited from the dementia care services offered from this pilot thus far. Many families and individuals who are uninsured or underinsured have access to coredementia care community support services. The Ministry has set aside $150,000 to ensure that a sustainable level of service is offered.
In its efforts to enhance the protection of seniors and persons with disabilities, this year Ageing and Disability Services will engage in various marketing and educational campaigns on financial abuse and scams committed against vulnerable persons.
Planning is well underway for the establishment of a senior daycare facility at the Gilbert Institute School site in Paget. A total of $1.5 million has been budgeted for the hiring of an architectural firm to work on design plans for the facility by March 2026.
Department of Child and Family Services
With the responsibility of protecting Bermuda’s children and strengthening our families, the Department of Child & Family Services has been given an operational budget of $21.1 million.
In alignment with recommendations from the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Committee (MARAC), the Department has onboarded a Domestic Abuse Liaison Social Worker who will focus primarily on high-risk domestic abuse cases. The Committee has already commenced the development of the five-year Domestic Abuse Strategy, which will continue this year as consultation with stakeholders is currently being undertaken.
The establishment of the full MIRRORS programme is being progressed. Funding has been provided for an additional two posts – Programme and Recruitment Manager, completing the full complement of staffing required for the programme.
More than $650,000 has been budgeted for the Independent Living Programme. Since its launch in 2023, the programme has served twelve residents. The community-based programme offers housing and steers the youth to other resources where they obtain educational, vocational, and life skills coaching that supports independent living as they transition into adulthood. Renovations are currently in train for ILP offices, a visiting area, and a wheelchair-accessible apartment. Additional funding of $20,000 is budgeted to cover security during the evening and night shifts.
Department of Financial Assistance
The operational budget for the Department of Financial Assistance increased by just under two million dollars to $56.0 million.
During this current year, financial Assistance clients residing in licensed nursing and rest homes will start receiving a $100 monthly personal care allowance to ensure that they have personal care items and services.
The 2025/26 pool of funding for the Child Day Care Allowance Programme will be $2.5 million, and for the Short-Term Relief program, a total of $500,000. An allocation of $3 million has been set aside for financial assistance for low-earners, $1.5 million to assist able-bodied unemployed persons, $25.7 million for pensioners, and $18.2 million for disabled persons.
These financial reform initiatives will provide social protection systems that guarantee all families, regardless of their current economic standing, access to resources to meet their basic needs.
Third Sector Grants
Finally, the Ministry has budgeted three million, eight hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars ($3,825,000) in its 2025/26 budget to continue the provision of grants to Third Sector Organisations that provide needed social services and programmes. These organizations include:
- Age Concern
- Transitional Living Programme
- Centre Against Abuse
- Vision Bermuda
- Dementia Bermuda
- Government Nursing and Residential Homes
- Meals on Wheels
- Salvation Army
- Summerhaven
- Tomorrow’s Voices and;
- Home
Conclusion
Other key initiatives that will be steered by the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors during the 2025/26 budget year include:
- The hiring of a Project Manager to coordinate the implementation of the action items in the National Seniors Strategy;
- The execution of priorities in the Plan to End Homelessness;
- The implementation of a Perpetrator’s Services programme; and,
- The strengthening of the Litigation Guardian Programme.
These initiatives are about care, fairness, and sustainable support for our community so that we are building a Bermuda where everyone benefits.