Keep Your Children Safe

From the moment we bring our infants home from the hospital we worry about their safety. As they grow, they want more and more freedom. By the age of 10, most kids want to walk to their bus stop or school by themselves.

We want our kids to be independent and confident, however it is very hard to let them out of our sight because approximately 800,000 children are reported missing every year. While most return home safely, others are sadly not so lucky.

For decades, parents have been telling children not to talk to strangers. This concept is difficult for children to grasp and doesn’t help if the perpetrator of a kidnapping is someone the child knows.

It is more beneficial to teach them to respond to a potentially dangerous situation, rather than teaching them to look out for a particular type of person.

As parents prepare for the start of a new school year, teaching children how to be safe needs to be at the top of their list of things to do. An analysis by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children found that children are at most risk when going to and from school or school related activities.

Parents and other adults can help keep children safe by following these tips:

1. There’s safety in numbers. Teach your children to always take a friend with them when walking or biking, and to stay with a group while standing at the bus stop. Make sure they know which bus to ride.

2. Make a definite route. Walk the route to and from school with your children. Point out landmarks and safe places to go if they’re being followed or need help. Tell  your children not to take shortcuts and to stay in well-lit areas.

3. Never leave little kids alone. It is not safe for young children to walk to and from school, even in a group. Parents should always provide supervision for young children to help ensure their safe arrival to and from school. If your children wait for a bus, wait with them or make arrangements for supervision at the bus stop.

4. Teach kids to trust their instincts. Tell your children that if anyone bothers them, makes them feel scared, or uncomfortable to trust their feelings and immediately get away from that person. Teach them that in this instance it is fine to be rude and to say no to an adult.

5. Teach your children to run from strangers. If someone tries to pull them into a car or grabs them, instruct children to resist by kicking and screaming. Tell them to run and draw as much attention as they can yelling, “this person is trying to take me away,” or “this person is hurting me.”

6. Tell kids not to accept rides from anyone. Kids should not accept rides from anyone unless you know  about it. Teach them to be aware of their surroundings at all times. If they feel like someone is following them in a vehicle they should turn around in the other direction, and try to find an adult to help them.

7. They should not give directions. There is no reason for a child to give directions to an adult. Tell them that if a grown-up stops to ask for directions, they should run. Never ask children for directions; ask other adults.

8. Don’t take candy from strangers. Teach your children not to accept money or gifts from anyone unless you are supervising.

9. Provide the school with contact information. Make sure the school has current and accurate emergency contact information on file. Confirm names of those authorized to pick him/her up.

10. Always know where your children are. Teach your children to ask you for permission if they want to change their plans both before and after school. They should never leave school with anyone unless they check with you first, even if someone tells them it’s an emergency.

Children should be taught to trust their feelings. They need to know that if someone makes them feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused, they should tell a parent, guardian, or trusted adult.

It’s sad and scary, but true that people who abduct and/or molest children are often friends of the family.

Councilman David G. Greenfield recently announced legislation aimed at creating safe places for children in need of help across New York City. In the wake of the disappearance and tragic murder of 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky, the Councilman’s legislation, to be known as ‘Leiby’s Law,’ would allow businesses to participate in a ‘Safe Haven Program.’ This unique program would require participating businesses to submit to voluntary background checks for their employees. Upon completion of these checks, a bright green, city-issued Safe Haven sticker could be displayed in a store’s window, letting children know that a business is safe for them to enter to seek help.

What To Do If Your Child Is Missing
If your child is missing from home, search the house checking closets, in and under beds, inside vehicles, including trunks—wherever a child may crawl or hide.

If you still cannot find your child, immediately call your local law enforcement agency. If your child disappears in a store, notify the store manager or security office. Then immediately call the police. Many stores have a Code Adam plan of action wherein employees immediately mobilize to look for any child who disappears in the store.

When you call the police, provide your child’s name, date of birth, height, weight, and any other unique identifiers such as eyeglasses and braces. Tell them when you noticed that your child was missing and what clothing he or she was wearing.

One of the most important tools for law enforcement to use in the case of a missing child is an up-to-date, good-quality photograph. The photograph should be a recent, head-and-shoulders color photograph of the child in which the face is clearly seen. Take new photos  of your children at least every six months.

Request that your child’s name and identifying information be immediately entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Missing Person File.

After you have spoken to the police, call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).

May none of us ever have to call.