Child Safety

Most people believe their home is secure and as such will keep their children safe. Unfortunately there are many emergencies that occur outside of our control. Just because a child is at home, does not necessarily mean they are safe. That’s why any safety plan must begin in the home.

Working families
It is not advisable for children to be left home alone to fend for themselves. If, however, you have decided your children have reached an age where they can stay at home alone, it is advisable that you walk through a few key safety and security tips to help better protect them. These tips should include:

Answering the phone

• Do not let the caller know that you are at home by yourself.
• Do not give strangers your address or personal contact details.
• Think about installing an answering machine so that calls can be screened and only respond to your selected callers.
• Provide your child with a list of people from whom they can take a call.
• Keep a list of emergency contact names and numbers near the phone, or pre-programme them into the phone memory, so assistance is at hand.
• If you have a monitored home alarm system, explain to them how it is to be used in an emergency.

If someone attempts to break in

• Contact the police immediately.
• Telephone a neighbour or other nearby contact.
• Evacuate the premises and head to a safe place for example your neighbours' house.

In addition to these tips, it is worthwhile finding out as much as possible about who your child’s friends are and what activities they are involved in. Also determine if your child may be experiencing any difficulties: at school or otherwise.

Prepare a list of specific tasks for your child to ensure they are kept occupied until your return home. If you are going to be running late, advise them as soon as possible when you will return.

Stranger Danger
It is important that a child can clearly understand the difference between a friend and a stranger. Friends are people such as police, teachers or relatives. A stranger is anyone they do not know.

If a child is ever confronted by a stranger and asked to either go with them or accept some gift, teach your children to say no. If they are ever made to feel uncomfortable by a stranger, they should let a “friend” know about it immediately.

Other tips to help your children avoid being approached by strangers:

• Do not put your child’s name on anything such as their T-Shirt, lunch box, school bag or anything else that may be visible and allow a stranger to call them by their name.
• Do not leave a child unattended in a vehicle for any length of time.

Safety Walk
A good way to help your child understand the difference between friends and strangers is to take them on a safety walk of your local area.

Familiarise them with areas of safety or danger and point out where they can go to get help if it is needed. Where possible, introduce them to some “friends” that they can turn to if they ever find themselves in trouble, such as the local police, fire station, hospital, doctors or trusted shopkeepers and your neighbours.

Remind them that it is important to always try to walk with friends and not wander off without telling anyone where they are going and when they will be back.

You can learn more about monitored security systems by checking out the ADT Life Safety Solutions available to you.