The Hindu : Front Page : Childline vigil for run-away children

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Saturday, May 24, 2008
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Childline vigil for run-away children

Anasuya Menon

‘This is the time when a lot of children leave homes owing to failure in exams’

Photo: M. Periasamy

SEEKING HELP: A counsellor interacting with a student at Don Bosco Anbu Illam in Coimbatore. —

COIMBATORE: Don Bosco Anbu Illam has intensified vigil in the city’s bus stands, railway station and public places to spot children who may have run away from their homes after the publication of the Plus Two results.

The contact centres of Childline at Ukkadam and Gandhipuram bus stands have been alerted to report instances of children roaming about unaccompanied by adults.

“This is the time when a lot of children leave their homes owing to failure in examinations and the fear of facing parents,” says Christopher Jayaraj, Director of the Anbu Illam.

The children who are spotted alone in public places will be taken to the centre where their immediate needs will be met. The volunteers will also take immediate efforts to repatriate the child. “If the child does not wish to go back home, he or she can always stay at the centre,” says Childline coordinator T. Sheela.

The number of run-away children usually goes up around the time of publication of results and a majority of them are boys, Ms. Sheela says. “It is not just the public examinations results that they are anxious about. Some even fear the quarterly and half-yearly examination results,” she adds.

Going by the children’s account of their lives, increasing alcoholism and conflict between the parents are the most common factors that trigger their desire to run away.

Don Bosco Anbu Illam, along with Childline, started a round-the-clock telephone counselling service too in 2006 to provide emotional support to the children. The first year, the centre received 85 calls, the next year, the number went up to 154.

Since the publication of the Plus Two results on May 9, the centre has been receiving a stream of phone calls seeking counselling. “In a week, we have received about 25 calls both from students and parents,” says Ms. Sheela.

Most of the calls were regarding poor performance and a few of them were on the psychological impact of the results such as depression and suicidal tendencies, she points out. “The Class X results are yet to be published. We expect the number of calls to increase,” she says.

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