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Tips for Parents
- Keep your child's fingerprints, head and shoulder photograph and an accurate
description in a safe, accessible place
- Teach your child your phone number, area code and full address
- Teach your child that when they are away from home, scared or uncomfortable, they
have the right to use the phone without permission
- Show your child how to dial the operator and what to say. Let your child practice
dialling the phone. Leave other important numbers i.e. work numbers, trusted neighbour
or other resources that could be important for them next to the phone
- Don't let your child go to a public washroom alone
- Never leave your child unattended, even for "just a few minutes"
- Don't put your child's name visibly on clothing, bicycles or toys. A child responds
to a first name and the person using that name will not be thought of as a stranger
- Teach your child to avoid strangers or people that they don't know very well when
they are not with you. A person they see every day can still be a stranger
- Know your child's friends and be involved in your child's activities
- Practice with your child the routes he/she must walk to and from a friend's home or
school
- Notice if anyone pays undue attention to your child
- Tell your children that if anything happens you will look for them, no matter how
long it takes, until they are found
- Teach your children never to keep secrets from you
- Don't offer a drive to your child's friend without prior arrangements with their
parents. Once a child's guard is down he/she is more open to taking a drive from a
stranger.
- Have a secret code word that only you and your children know. If someone wants the
child to go with him or her, they must be able to give the proper code word
- Identify safe houses in your neighbourhood with signs in the windows
- Check locks on all windows and doors, make sure they all work
- Know what your child is wearing when he/she leaves the house
- Check with your schools to see if they have a call back system to parents if your
child does not make it to school
- Do background checks on anyone that takes care of your children
- Instruct your child's day care, sitters or school not to let your child go home
with anyone unless you have given permission first
- Never make it obvious from outside the house, which is your child's room
- Listen when your child tells you that he/she doesn't want to be with someone. Find
out the reason
- Encourage your child to tell you when something is bothering them
- Never dismiss any fear or concern your child has, real or imaginary. Listen to
his/her concerns
- Encourage parent-child communication and tell them you love them often. A child
that is told they are loved will not believe a stranger that tries to tell them
otherwise
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