Monitor Children's Activities

As most children have started to enjoy their much needed school holiday break, the Fiji Police Force is again stressing the need for the close supervision of their daily activities and whereabouts.

The Chief Operations Officer (COO) Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abdul Khan is pleading with parents and guardians to be alert to their child's activities and in particular who they are spending their time with.

ACP Khan is also stressing the importance of communication between parents and children.

"Over the past two weeks, we have recorded a number of missing children between the age of 14 to 17 years, and within a day or two they were found staying with friends or relatives, and were reunited with their families".

"This is concerning for two reasons.

Firstly that the issue of communication is not being stressed enough, and secondly the fact that the children are found with other friends or relatives, and that there was no attempt by adults in the other homes to reach out to the child's parents and inform or to ask their parents whether permission was granted for an extended stay".

The Chief Operations Officer added, "We understand that situations are different and that a child may be going through something and has run away for a reason, however as adults, we should still do our part and ensure that we communicate with each other to be able to resolve whatever situation they may be facing".

The Chief Operations Officer said children may end up following the wrong crowd or get into situations that may be harmful to their lives and future, emphasizing the need for the close monitoring of children's activities during the school holidays.

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