1. Closely supervise your child, there is no substitute for good parenting.
2. Know who is watching your child when you leave them.
3. Advise sitters and teachers personally if someone other than you is to pick up your child.
4. Advise your child if they are to be picked up by someone other than yourself.
5. Talk with your child about the dangers of strangers.
6. Give them a plan of what to do if they are approached by a stranger.
7. Make sure your child knows their home address and phone number. (Add
parent's work location and phone number for older children.)
8. Children who walk to or from the bus stop or school should have a set
route.
9. Parents should go over this route with the child. Make sure to avoid
wooded lots, vacant buildings, parks, and playgrounds along the way.
These are common areas targeted by abductors.
10. Children at home alone should check in with the parent when they
arrive from school.
11. Always keep doors locked at home. This practice is safe for everyone.
12. If someone comes to the door, have a plan of action. Go over this plan
with your child.
13. Children should never let strangers know they are home alone.
14. Children should never open the door to a stranger.
15. If someone requests to come inside, say NO.
16. Stay inside the home and call 911 if someone attempts to gain entry.
17. If forced entry is made into the dwelling by strangers, leave by another
exit. Many burglaries occur in the daytime when no one is believed to be
home. Staying inside may endanger the child.
18. Have a safe house or place to go in an emergency. This should be
discussed with neighbors and your child so that everyone knows what to
do. This should be a trusted neighbor who will keep the child safe and
notify you and police of the emergency. This can also be the meeting
place for fire and other emergencies.
19. Do not write names and addresses visibly on the child's clothing.
20. Do not have house keys worn in plain view or around the neck.
21. Teach the child to treat all strangers the same. This takes the good guy,
bad guy decision away. Many abductors gain the child's confidence and
make them think they are good guys.
22. Never approach or talk to strangers in vehicles.
23. If approached by a stranger in a vehicle, walk in the opposite direction
and off the roadway. Go immediately to the phone and call 911.
24. If approached by a stranger, children should: a) Scream; b) Run away; c)
Go to an adult whom they have been left alone with before, or d) If a
trusted adult cannot be found, call 911.
25. Do not attempt to teach fighting skills to children as the first line of
defense. While this may be useful in getting away from a stranger, many
hours must be spent to perfect these skills. Even with expert skills, the
child may be over powered due to physical size. The first priority should
always be to escape quickly. If the child is taught to stand and fight,
they may not attempt to escape.