Parents are urged to spend quality time with their children and keep communicating with them during this two-week school holiday to prevent accidents from happening.
The Fiji Police Force is reiterating the importance of communication between parents and guardians, and the Assistant Commissioner of Police – Operations (ACP) Livai Driu says children need to be able to communicate their intentions freely without fear of being reprimanded.
ACP Driu says in most cases where children are reported missing, they are either found at a friend's or relative's house.
He added when a missing person’s report is received, both the uniform branch and the Criminal Investigations Department get involved.
Police are reminding parents that children are home for the next two weeks, and if they are not engaged in some form of school holiday activities or something constructive, they will get bored, and surely, they will try to reach out to their friends or other peer groups.
They say it is better to know who they are spending their time with rather than needing to go behind their back and end up in a situation that can impact their safety, health, and future.
Police say when parents create an environment where children feel free to talk about issues, they won’t feel that they have to hide things from them, while at the same time, they will have a better understanding of what is going on in their lives.
