Sri Lanka is grappling with a growing crisis as over 14,800 children have been identified as living in vulnerable situations nationwide, officials from the Department of Probation and Child Care Services revealed at a drug prevention and rehabilitation forum in Colombo.
The disclosure came during the District Multi-Stakeholder Drug Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Program held on 28 August at the Colombo District Secretariat.
Child Rights Promotion Officers are actively supporting these children, with many cases referred through police stations.
However, authorities highlighted significant challenges, particularly poor coordination among stakeholders and difficulty reaching certain high-risk areas such as Badowita.
“A family-centred care and development plan prioritising children’s well-being is urgently needed,” said a department official.
Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala stressed the seriousness of the issue, citing police reports of uninvestigated cases and the exploitation of vulnerable children by criminal elements.
“Fifteen-year-olds are being drawn into the underworld. When children drop out of school, drug traffickers target them,” he warned.
Senior police officers noted additional contributing factors, including family breakdowns linked to maternal migration and parental drug abuse, especially in communities like Obeysekarapura and Welikada.
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