TRUST between children and adults, including parents, teachers and guardians, is extremely important in preventing missing children cases, underscores Taylor’s University Faculty of Social Sciences and Leisure Management senior lecturer Dr Komathi Lokithasan (pic).
She stressed that central to building this trust is the role of school counsellors, who play an important role in identifying at-risk students and providing support to help them manage their challenges.
However, she noted that many students lack trust in counsellors.
“School counsellors should focus on building rapport and trust as part of early intervention to bridge the gaps that currently exist in the system,” she said.
She noted that children who have strong and trustworthy relationships with adults are more likely to feel supported, seek help when needed and remain connected during difficult times.
“Whenever children feel confused or unsure, they are more likely to turn to the people they trust most.
“In that sense, trust becomes the foundation for prevention and early intervention in missing children cases,” she said.
While acknowledging that Malaysian schools are working towards creating safer environments for students, Komathi said there is still room for improvement.
“The Education Ministry has assigned school counsellors to schools, but counselling services are often limited by the large number of students in some schools,” she said, adding that the stigma surrounding mental health continues to discourage some students from seeking help.
“Some of them fear being perceived as weak or problematic among their peers,” she said.
She added that schools are responsible for educating students about personal safety and safe decision-making outside the classroom.
“One effective approach is to frequently invite school relations officers from the Royal Malaysia Police to provide updates and awareness talks on current safety issues affecting young people,” she said.
Role of society
Komathi stressed that society must move beyond stigmatising missing children cases as disciplinary problems and instead examine the emotional and psychological challenges many young people face.
“Society still underestimates teenagers’ mental and emotional struggles, and there is often a tendency to place blame instead of addressing the root causes.
“Based on my experience counselling this population, mental health struggles are among the prominent factors influencing runaway behaviour,” she said.
She also highlighted the growing influence of social media on children and teenagers, saying online platforms have increased their exposure to strangers, harmful content and psychological influence at a younger age.
At the community level, she said society should avoid judgemental attitudes, particularly when teenagers share opinions, videos or pictures online.
“One issue that I frequently observe online is people being heavily judged or criticised, which can lead to cyberbullying.
“Create safer and more supportive online spaces, while also providing more mental health programmes, awareness campaigns and safe spaces for teenagers to seek help,” she said.
Komathi also advised parents to be more present in their children’s lives.
“A lack of parental monitoring and control over online usage can make children more vulnerable to grooming and manipulation by strangers.
“Parents can spend more quality time with their children and create a safe and supportive environment where children feel comfortable sharing their experiences, emotions and personal issues.
“They should also be observant of sudden behavioural or emotional changes and be willing to seek professional help when necessary to support their children’s well-being,” she said.
