DoCS informed of drunk children in Sydney

The Department of Community Services (DoCS) has been informed about several children who police found drunk and drug affected in Sydney.

A 14-year-old boy under the influence of drink and drugs was among 13 children detained by police in the inner city on Saturday night and Sunday morning.

The boy's carer thought he was in bed asleep.

Nine boys and four girls, mostly aged 14 or 15, were picked up by police on Oxford Street, George Street and around Central station because they were unsupervised, intoxicated, under the influence of drugs or in situations that put them at risk.

When police phoned their parents, not one of them came in from the suburbs to collect their child.

Instead, police officers drove the children home to suburbs as far away from the city as Mount Druitt, Quakers Hill, Hurstville and Earlwood.

Detective Inspector Stephen Crews said police weren't a taxi service and parents needed to be more engaged with their children.

"The next step is for us to work closely with the Department of Community Services and see how we can support these kids," Det Insp Crews told reporters in Sydney on Sunday.

"Each case has unique characteristics and we really do want to support them.

"The police aren't a taxi service. However, when we contact parents and carers and they're not prepared to come and collect their kids ... we have to get them home.

"I urge parents to please be a role model for their children."

Some of the parents were shocked to discover their children had lied about where they were going, he said.

Others could not be contacted when police or the children themselves tried to call.

NSW Police Minister Michael Gallacher said parents need to ask their children more questions about what they were up to.

"Ask more questions and make some inquiries to ensure that the knock on the door that you get at two or three o'clock in the morning isn't just a police officer returning your son or daughter home in an affected state," Mr Gallacher told reporters in Sydney on Sunday.

"But worse, you want to make sure that the knock on the door isn't from a police officer telling you to come down to the morgue."