Page 19 - MidWeek - July 28, 2021

Dynamic Duo Earns Child Protection Award
JULY 28, 2021 MIDWEEK 19
Technology is more commonplace now than ever before, and most children have some sort of smart device with them at all times. That ease of connectivity is great for staying in touch with loved ones, but also provides strangers with potential access, even from afar.
“Especially during the pandemic, we heard stories from all around the country of predators contacting children through the computer or phone,” recalls Amanda Leonard, coordinator for the state Depart- ment of the Attorney General’s Missing Child Center-Hawai‘i.
She, along with assistant coordinator Kaleilani Grant, encourage parents to also protect their children from strangers in the virtual sphere.
“Some parents aren’t informed of how to even utilize social media and online platforms,” Grant says. “But that is how strangers also approach children and try to connect with them.”
For resources on online safety, visit miss- ingkids.org/netsmartz.
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Leonard got her start in the field as a volunteer at Children’s Justice Center of O‘ahu. After graduating from University of Hawai‘i Wil- liam S. Richardson School of Law in 2011, she clerked for judges at family court, and after that worked at boutique family law firm Hartley & McGehee LLP in Kailua as an associate attorney.
“My background is pri- marily in family law, which is definitely useful in this position, working parental or family abduction cases and supporting parents in crisis,” explains Leonard, a Kailua resident who graduated from Kalāheo High.
Grant started with Missing Child Center-Hawai‘i in 2018, shortly after Leonard, when the assistant coordinator posi- tion opened up. As a survivor of the sex trafficking trade, it’s important for her to make sure no other children have to expe- rience what she has.
State Department of the Attorney General’s Missing Child Center-Hawai‘i assistant coordinator Kaleilani Grant (seated) and coordinator Amanda Leonard work tirelessly to keep keiki in the community safe.
to protect kids are their own parents.”
For more information and educational resources, visit missingkids.org.
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“It’s been over a decade that I’ve been working in the anti-human trafficking field,” says Grant, who grew up in ‘Aiea and attended Lanakila Baptist School. “For myself, it is so important for me to con- tinue in the work that I do. My message is to give hope.
But that’s not necessarily true. Thankfully, stranger ab- ductions are rare in the state, but family/parent abductions are common in the 808. And that’s the message Missing Child Center-Hawai‘i wants to get out to the community: Be proactive and aware.
are crazy — there are thou- sands of reports of endan- gered runaways a year that could potentially be a “must respond” for Leonard and Grant — it’s equally as im- portant for them and Missing Child Center-Hawai‘i to focus on prevention and education.
“People ask all the time, ‘How can you do this type of work? It’s so depressing be- cause of some of the stories.’ But, really, that’s what keeps us going,” she continues. “We want to prevent any hardship from happening.”
“Yes, this can happen and it does,” Grant continues. “As we talk about Hawai‘i, having it be our kuleana, our responsibility. For myself and Amanda, this is just who we are, looking out for the keiki of our state, caring for the well-being of families.”
“If you prevent a child from running away, you can prevent them from being vic- tims of crime,” says Leonard. “Sometimes we go and speak at events; we do a lot of train- ings with law enforcement and families. We find that to be a very important use of our limited time when we do have to step away from our caseload.
The hardship she speaks of is often not thought of as common in Hawai‘i.
“That’s perfectly said,” Leonard chimes in. “It’s more than a job to us. It’s really who we are and how we want to use our expertise and our skills for the benefit of oth- er parents and the benefit of children.”
“This is not a law enforce- ment problem — this is a community problem. We need to continually raise awareness and educate parents because the folks that are most able
“People think that it can’t happen here,” Grant says. “They put it out of their minds, they think that Hawai‘i is excluded.”
So, while their caseloads
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