In the effort to prevent teenage delinquency, the role of the family is a key factor in creating a healthy environment that supports children's growth, stated Dr. Rodman Tarigan SpA(K), M.Kes, the Chair of the Adolescent Task Force of the Indonesian Pediatric Association (IDAI).

"Creating an optimal environment for children to transition into a healthy adolescence phase requires a good environment. The first step towards that is the family environment," said Dr. Rodman during the online media seminar titled "Educating Mentally and Socially Strong Adolescents," organized by IDAI on Monday.

According to him, establishing a healthy environment for adolescents entering their teenage years requires active involvement from the family. Based on his observations, many cases of teenage delinquency stem from problematic family backgrounds, such as a "broken home."

Dr. Rodman emphasized the importance of good communication between parents and providing teenagers with the opportunity to express their opinions.

He noted that good communication within the family is the initial step in preventing teenage delinquency. Many cases of violence and negative behavior among teenagers occur due to a lack of communication within the family environment.

"There are many teenagers who experience violence or get involved in delinquency, and often the root cause is the lack of communication within the family itself. Many cases we've observed show that financially the family is stable, but psychologically, these individuals do not feel comfortable at home, so they seek comfort outside," said Dr. Rodman.

"However, their search leads them in the wrong direction, and they end up falling into violent or negative activities," he continued.

Furthermore, Dr. Rodman conveyed that in response to this issue, IDAI encourages its members in various regions to engage in dialogues with relevant institutions, such as the Health Department and government agencies, to address the problem of teenage delinquency.

However, while IDAI plays a role in advocacy, he stated that policy-making and concrete actions remain the responsibility of the government and related institutions.

"Dealing with teenage issues is undoubtedly complex. While IDAI has the capacity for advocacy, the actual policy decisions are in the hands of the government, perhaps the Minister of Education, police officials, or the Ministry of Religious Affairs," he concluded.