Preventing Child Abduction

About 800,000 children are reported missing each year in the United States. More than half of these children have been abducted. Families are torn apart by the trauma and not always put back together. In order to avoid being a part of a horrific situation, parents must be proactive in keeping their children safe. Presented below are some of the many ways parents can take a stand in preventing child abduction.

Parents send their children to school or daycare, thinking of these building as safe havens due to the safety policies stated. It is a parent’s responsibility to ensure their child’s school or daycare follows the policies, including completed background checks on all employees and contracted workers. Just as the educational system implements this tool, parents can too. Take the time to screen babysitters and anyone else you may hire to do work in your home. When you do have house work complete, be sure to change your daily routines. Not only does this allow for the safety of your home, and all of its contents, but most importantly, it allows for the added safety of your children.

Another aspect of preventing child abduction is a parent’s responsibility to know where their children are and whom they are with. As a parent, take the time to meet other parents and see the neighborhoods your children want to spend time in. Be sure children know the safe places in your neighborhood to go if they feel threatened, for example: hospitals, police stations and fire stations.

The most important way a parent can be a part of preventing child abduction is to teach their children to be aware. Strangers should always equal danger; lost puppies don’t need anyone other than their owners; candy is never right around the corner. Parents need to make children aware of others with negative intentions and how to attract public attention when faced with a situation where they no longer feel “in charge.” Children should recognize store employees in uniform as “safe” adults and police officers can find family faster than they can alone.

Despite proactive parental responsibility in preventing child abduction, Amber Child Safety recognizes that abductions will continue to occur. They have developed a system that is designed for child recovery. It allows parents to upload their children’s photos, video and fingerprints, as well as their school information, sports team information, including details about teachers, coaches and routes parents and children may take to/from school or sporting events. Amber Child Safety is a program allows the parents of an abducted child to focus on quick recovery, rather than the details of a police report.