Three children previously listed on the Department of Human Services (DHS) Missing Children Web site were reported found this past week, department officials said.

The overall number of missing children is going down thanks to media awareness and community action, said DHS Director Lillian Koller. She asked for the public's help in finding children who are still missing.

The missing teenagers are believed to have voluntarily left their foster care homes, often without notifying their foster parents or social service workers. Persons with information about the whereabouts of youth listed on the Internet site www.hawaii.gov/missing-children are asked to call their local police departments.

DHS is working with the Hawaii Foster Youth Coalition to contact children who returned to their foster homes after running away and discuss issues that caused them to leave. DHS urges youth who are currently on the run or are thinking about leaving their homes to call the coalition at 255-8365.

The attachment identifies the missing children as of noon Friday. Names in bold indicate children who have been added to the list since the last news release.