Functioning for over 22 months now at
the busy junction, the Child Assistance Booth, a combined scheme of SEVAI, Railway Children and Tiruchi Railway has
rescued several runaway minors found wandering at the station. During 2018 and
till date, the Child Assistance Booth has rescued 1528 minors a majority of
whom are runaway children. A majority of them are boys and around 10% are girls.
The reasons for children leaving their homes have been found to be varied.
Interaction with them shows that conflict with parents and teachers, domestic
problem, separated parents, lack of parental care and inability to cope with
studies are among factors that trigger the fleeing. The Child Assistance Booth
has a team of social workers and outreach workers working round-the-clock in
three shifts at the junction. While the outreach workers rescue the runaways,
the social workers examine the immediate needs of such minors. The rescued
minors are brought to the booth and their immediate needs are addressed to put
them at ease. Usually, such children are found with a wavering mind engulfed by
a sense of anxiety and loneliness. It is for this reason that they are made to
feel comfortable through pep talk and handed over to the Government Railway
Police or Railway Protection Force as per procedure and from there on to the
Child Welfare Committee for initiating further steps, the SEVAI representative said.
There have also been instances where the rescued minor has hailed from north
Indian States. A proper follow-up is carried out once the children are reunited
with their parents under the instructions of the Child Welfare Committee. All
efforts are taken to restore the runaway children with their parents after
following due procedures. Counseling is provided to the child and parents
during the restoration process. If the child is not inclined to stay with the
parents, they are given safe shelter to pursue education and constantly
motivated to go home. Parents need to understand the sentiments of their child
and spend adequate time with them to prevent such tendencies from creeping in
the minor a child activist says.-Govin
