Family in Trinidad and Tobago

There is no single family administration in Trinidad and Tobago. Different services handle different needs, and families often combine formal procedures with support from relatives, households, faith organisations and nongovernmental organisations. A household is not necessarily a family: the Central Statistical Office generally counts a household as one or more people who share sleeping arrangements for most of the week and at least one main meal, whether or not they are related. Family formation and major family changes involve several registration and legal systems. The Registrar General’s Department registers births, marriages, deaths and adoptions and issues certificates. Marriages may be registered under the Marriage Act, the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, the Hindu Marriage Act or the Orisa Marriage Act. Civil marriage arrangements commonly involve the Civil Registry or a Warden’s Office. Banns usually run for seven days. A President’s Licence waives the banns requirement; both parties generally need at least seven days of residence before applying, with processing commonly taking about three days in Port of Spain and seven days in Tobago and a fee of TT$100. A Special Marriage Licence for non-residents costs TT$300. A birth should be registered with the District Registrar for the place of birth within three months. The informant normally provides identification, a hospital letter or card and the parents’ birth certificates, with additional immunisation records, affidavits and fees possible for late registration. Adding the father’s name after registration costs at least TT$75 per child. The Registrar General’s Department usually delivers online certificates in about four to seven business days, while a simple in-person record may be available the same day. The Cohabitational Relationships Act provides a legal framework for some unmarried cohabiting relationships, but it does not give every cohabiting couple the same status as a married couple. A declaration and court-based claims may be available when the statutory facts support them. Questions about property, succession and estate distribution belong mainly to civil-law proceedings, although they can arise during family transitions. The Family Court and the Family and Children Division of the High Court provide specialised handling for maintenance, guardianship, wardship, custody and access, adoption, child abduction, matrimonial proceedings, domestic violence and some property settlements. The child’s welfare and best interests guide decisions about custody and access. Separation, desertion or living apart does not by itself remove parental responsibility or the duty to support a child. Every parent remains responsible for child maintenance regardless of marital or cohabitation status, and a parent or guardian with custody, care or control can apply for an order. The amount depends on the child’s needs and the parents’ means rather than a single national rate. Enforcement can use maintenance orders, attachment of earnings and CourtPay. Family Court mediation is voluntary, confidential and free. It can address separation, living arrangements, schooling, expenses and assets when both parties agree to participate. A written agreement can be referred to a Judge or Master. Family counselling is available through the Judiciary and the National Family Services Division, including help with communication, parenting, bereavement, serious illness, child or adolescent concerns and family conflict. People may represent themselves in court, but legal representation can be useful when the dispute is complex. The National Family Services Division, within the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services, offers case management, individual, group and family counselling, referrals, parenting workshops, support groups and crisis intervention. Its work includes domestic violence, abuse and incest, marital problems, parenting difficulties, depression, behavioural concerns and financial problems. Services are available through district offices, and 800-COPE (2673) provides counselling and psychosocial support. The Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago is the statutory child-centred and family-focused body for reports of child mistreatment, neglect and endangerment. It investigates reports, operates assessment and support centres, and oversees foster care, adoption and related standards. Reports can be made anonymously to the Children’s Authority at 996 or 800-2014, to ChildLine at 131 or 800-4321, or to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service at 999. Records are kept securely and confidentially, although a reporter’s identity may be disclosed in limited circumstances. In immediate danger, the Authority can remove a child and generally seeks family participation and reintegration where that serves the child’s best interests. The Children Act 2012 is only partly proclaimed, so the applicable statutory framework also includes the Children’s Authority Act, the Children’s Community Residences, Foster Care and Nurseries Act and the Adoption of Children Act. Foster care provides a temporary placement for a child affected by abuse, neglect, abandonment, special needs or the absence of safe family care. The process normally includes an application, document and background checks, interviews, a home assessment, training, Board approval and registration. The Authority or Court may arrange supervised contact with parents or relatives. Adoption transfers parental rights and responsibilities fully. The Children’s Authority handles local adoption arrangements, recommends applicants and supports the Court adoption order. The process includes documents, psychosocial and background assessments, approval, matching, interaction and a probationary period of up to six months. Authority processing is free, but supporting documents, legal assistance and court costs can apply. An open adoption may take about eight to twelve months; a closed adoption has no fixed period, and an adoption order often takes more than six months. After adoption, the original birth certificate is sealed and a new adoption certificate is issued. Domestic violence is addressed through the Domestic Violence Act and related child-protection, criminal and legal-aid laws. A person seeking protection can apply to the Family Court for a Protection Order. Court notice and service follow a formal process; following the 2020 amendment, the Court should arrange service, normally through police or another authorised service method within five days, rather than requiring private service. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-SAVE (7283), the Judiciary’s domestic-violence contact is 866-DVCT (3828), and emergency police assistance is available at 999. The Gender Affairs Division can help with safe shelter for women and dependants, while the National Family Services Division provides psychosocial and case support. Social support is administered mainly through the Social Welfare Division of the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services. Grant applications through a Local Public Assistance Board and district offices are free, but may involve an interview and means verification. Public Assistance can apply where household income is inadequate and a child’s parent is hospitalised, deceased, imprisoned or has abandoned the family, particularly where support remains unavailable despite a maintenance application or order. Other programmes include education and school supplies, housing or house rent, domestic help, funeral assistance, medical equipment and food support, subject to each programme’s criteria. The Disability Assistance Grant for a Minor supports a child under 18 with severe or complete permanent disability when the child and parent or legal guardian meet the citizenship or residence rules. The current guideline uses a maximum household income of TT$17,400 per month, and a similar benefit above TT$1,500 can exclude eligibility. Medical certification must come from an authorised public or registered private paediatrician. A Special Child Grant supports some children under 18 with moderate disability and is initially reviewed after one year. The Division of Ageing treats a person aged 60 or over as older for administrative purposes. Its Older Persons Information Centre provides information and referrals. The Community Care Programme can connect vulnerable people aged 55 or over, including people discharged from medical care who still need support, with community homes for older persons. The Division coordinates with health authorities, housing and community bodies and investigates or refers reports of elder abuse. Everyday elder care remains mainly organised by households and communities; no general state-funded family caregiving payment is established by the available evidence. A death should be registered promptly with the District Registrar using the medical cause-of-death information, the informant’s identification and, where available, the deceased person’s identification or birth certificate. Death certificates generally take four to seven business days online and may be issued the same day in person for an uncomplicated record. Funeral assistance is needs-based and programme-specific. Probate, estate administration and inheritance are separate civil-law matters, although they affect family members and dependants after a death. The Legal Aid and Advisory Authority provides advice and representation in civil and family matters. Legal advice costs TT$50, while recipients of Old Age Pension, Public Assistance or a Disability Grant can be exempt when they show proof. Family High Court representation generally involves an application, verification before a Justice of the Peace or Commissioner, an investigation or home visit, an income and capital assessment, Board approval and assignment to an attorney; an emergency process may be available. Offices operate in Port of Spain, Arima, Chaguanas, San Fernando and Scarborough. Family Court access is organised through Port of Spain and the North, Princes Town and the South, and Scarborough in Tobago. Tobago has its own court access, registration and legal-aid arrangements, while district welfare and family-service offices vary by region. Court fees and private attorney fees depend on the matter and order, and no universal tariff is established by the available research.