THE National Office for Child and Family Services (NOCFS) and its partners have successfully concluded phase 4 of the Street Children Response Program, last Wednesday.
Phase 4 of the Street Children Response Program, which involved family tracing and parental engagement, began on October 13 and concluded on October 21.
In the exercise, members of the Joint Task Force Committee on street children conducted awareness in hotspots areas of the National Capital District (NCD) and identified street children and their parents.
The Joint Task Force Committee officers conducted awareness in places like Gerehu, Waigani, Tokarara, Hohola, Gordons Market, 9 Mile, Erima, Sabama, Konedobu, Manu, Taurama, Badili and Koki.
The committee identified 55 parents in NCD whose children were classified as street children.
These parents were counseled, assisted with food rations and signed agreements with the NOCFS promising not to allow their children to roam the streets again.
NOCFS chief executive officer Mr Jerry Wap said the 55 parents that were identified have made commitments not to allow their children to wander off onto the streets, knowing that there would be consequences if this happens.
Mr Wap reiterated that the aim of the exercise was not to scare, threaten or intimidate parents but to educate them about child rights and remind them of their duties and responsibilities as primary care-givers to children.
“We’ve identified 55 parents and had them sign agreements with the NOCFS,” Mr Wap said.
“Of the 55, Moresby North-West had 26 parents, Moresby North-East 18 and Moresby South 11 parents,” he said.
“In that agreement, the parents have made an undertaking not to allow their children to roam aimlessly on the streets of Port Moresby again,” Mr Wap said.
According to Mr Wap, the parental engagement component was crucial because some of the 235 street children identified and processed in the Street Children Response survey in 2024 were back on the streets so their parents needed to be held accountable for allowing this to happen.
“Now we are targeting the parents so that they see the magnitude and importance of the situation. Parents must take responsibility of the welfare and wellbeing of their children and this includes the whereabouts of their children,” Mr Wap said.
He said school-aged children should be in classrooms and not roaming around aimlessly on the streets because the Government is providing free education for all children.
Mr Wap said the Government had done its part so parents must do their part in ensuring their children have a better future.
Mr Wap added that despite the tireless efforts of the Joint Task Force Committee to reach out to parents of street children, some parents were reluctant to sign the agreement because of various reasons.
Mr Wap explained that the Street Children Response Program phase 4 will also be rolled out to other main regional centres of the country in the near future.