Protection of missing children

Activities within the European number for missing children 16000 in Serbia have never been financially supported since its beginning in 2012. For the past 4 years, ASTRA staff has been working voluntary, 24/7 on this line because we are aware of the importance of having a prompt reaction in cases of missing children.

All this time hotline consultants have been providing support to families and children, but also institutions and organizations working in the field, helping to speed up procedures in order to start the search for a missing child sooner, especially in cross-border cases.

Sometimes calls to hotline are referred in the middle of the night and consultants even then must react instantly.

In this year, we received 21 reports about missing children. Because of the refugee crisis there are still many cases of unaccompanied minors or children who have been separated from their families on their route and families are now trying to locate them. In regards to this, ASTRA received 11 reports about missing unaccompanied minors who were travelling alone or with their peers to western countries in order to escape from war stricken countries. 14 children were successfully found, while 7 are still missing. Among this 7, 6 children are refugees.

When people call our number, it usually means that they have already tried everything they could regarding the missing of their child, and they still have not found a solution. Sometimes they talk about their experiences with institutions, how institutions shift responsibilities from one institution to another, and parent’s impression that no one is actually looking for their child.  Parents fear for the life and the safety of their child and they turn to us for help and support in dealing with institutions. They also need emotional support to help them cope with the stressful situation.

In one case after his children were found, a father called us to thank us for the support and help we provided him during this situation of crises when he did not know where his children were. Ever since he reported the missing of a child, consultants were in regular contact with him, informing him about any possible development and any steps that were taken in that regards.

 “You really helped for this situation to be solved and you helped for my child to be found. I am a new man now, and all thanks to you.”