Runaway children who are found and returned back to their parents are sometimes not followed up by the respective Ministry even though it is their duty, says Police Spokesperson SSP (Attorney at Law) Nihal Thalduwa. He made this statement while speaking to The Morning today (19). "People assume that it is the police that has to follow up with the welfare of the children who are returned back to their parents after they run away and are found. It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, but this Ministry is usually not spoken about," said Thalduwa. He went on to detail the process that takes place once a minor is reported missing. "When a child or teenager is reported missing, we immediately assemble a team to look for the minor. We start from the home and then move outwards and we also get the assistance of the general public in locating the child or teenager. If and when we do locate the minor, we first take them in and they are properly identified to make sure that we have indeed found the missing persons. In the meantime, the parents are also called in to identify the children. After this takes place, we continue investigating what happened and this starts with the children itself," he said. Thalduwa further explained the investigation process that takes place after the minors are found and the responsibilities that should be carried out by the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs. "Firstly, we get the first hand story from the children. Usually, they talk and tell details of what happened. But these details are only to find out if the children have been kidnapped, coaxed to leave the house or left out of free will. We then send the children to be examined by the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) who will check for signs of abuse or molestation. During this time, the children are sent to foster homes or children's homes where their physical needs will be taken care of. Once the children are settled, they are then given to the parents if the children are willing to return," said Thalduwa. Additionally, Thalduwa said that children who are unwilling to go home due to abuse by parents are kept in children's homes until the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs intervenes and ensures the safety of the child. "We hear of parents who beat their children, molest children or even mentally demotivate children. When this happens, children resort to running away. Once they are found, the children are reluctant to go home. This is often seen in runaways. Because of this, temporarily, the child is kept in a home and both parents are counselled by the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs’ allocated officials. They try to build the bridge between the parent and child and try to reunite them, making sure the minor's safety is protected," Thalduwa explained. In conclusion, Thalduwa said that many people think that it is the responsibility of the police to continue checking up on the children and their welfare, whereas it was not. "It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs and their officials. This ministry needs to inform the media and the public about the welfare of the found children so that people know that the children are safe and that the officials are doing a proper job," he concluded.