WHEN GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING

Thousands of children go missing each year. Children go missing due to a number of possible reasons such as abduction or kidnapping, trafficking, lost children, running away from home due to conflict with family or living in a difficult and aggressive environment.

Large numbers of missing children end up on the streets in acute poverty. Many are forced to engage in unlawful activities. They are extremely vulnerable and easily exploited. In the year 2018-2019, CHILDLINE received approximately 32,000 cases of missing and runaway children each.

CHILDLINE 1098 is 24X7, emergency, toll-free helpline for children who are in distress. The CHILDLINE ground level rescue teams ensure that every child is safe and secure even in tough situations.

CHILDLINE 1098 has safely restored a missing child with his parents during the lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic. One day before the lockdown began; CHILDLINE 1098 received a call reporting a missing child who was unable to speak and was at Delhi Gate, Ghaziabad, UP. The team members immediately rushed to the location and found the child, Rohan (name changed to protect identity), 17, alone.

Since the child was unable to communicate, CHILDLINE took the child to the Ghaziabad police station. Even the police could not get any information from him. As per the protocol, the child was produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). Though the child was supposed to be sent to the shelter home in Bijnor, UP, the chairperson decided that the boy should be quarantined at a hospital as a preventive measure due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the boy did not show any symptoms, the doctor at the MMG hospital in Ghaziabad was not keen to quarantine the child. However, post continuous persuasion from CHILDLINE, the boy was quarantined at the hospital. While the child was in quarantine, the CHILDLINE team member remained with the child and managed to get the contact details of the child’s family and inform them. The child’s family managed to reach Ghaziabad, despite the limited transport facility. After the due diligence process was completed, Rohan was reunited with his family.

A CASE OF A 9-YEAR OLD BOY WHO RAN AWAY NOT ONCE BUT TWICE

Kids running away or going missing is every parents’ worst nightmare. Imagine, you wake up one morning to find your kid is missing from home or your kid goes out to play and does not return home. Isn’t it scary? What pushes a child to run away from home?

The children run away mainly because of family or guardian abuse, neglect, conflict with the law, city attraction, stress, etc. Following is a true-life case of a boy who ran away from his home not once but twice and was rescued by CHILDLINE. He is now in safe hands.

In December 2019, Child Help Desk at Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) received a case of a 9-year-old child, Ram (name changed) who had run away from his home. The boy was a resident of Kalyan in Mumbai suburbs. He appeared very calm and composed in CHILDLINE’s custody. Apparently, he was a repeat offender.

A couple of years ago, he ran away from his home due to major differences with his brother. He stated his brother would beat him up regularly. Back then, he wanted to go to the shelter home. However, as per the orders of the CWC, he was reunited with his parents and was sent home.

This time too, he ran away citing the same problem and was adamant to not want to go back to his family. He requested to be put up at the shelter home. CHILDLINE informed his parents and they arrived to meet him. The boy was then produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). This time, however, his wish has been granted to reside at the shelter home. Currently, he and his parents are undergoing regular counselling at the shelter home.

In the year 2018-2019, CHILDLINE received about 31779 runaway cases amongst others. Of these 17811 i.e. 56 per cent were city attraction cases. About 5751 i.e. 18 per cent were runaway cases related to employment and 8217 cases i.e. 26 per cent were other cases like neglect, abuse, stress, 

Disclaimer:  Names and details have been changed to maintain confidentiality as required.