Most readers of my newsletter and blog will know that I don’t normally dwell on the darker side of life. Like many of you, I know that bad things happen but sometimes, I prefer not to know all the details and certainly don’t want to alarm people by elaborating on unpleasant and unsavoury events unnecessarily. However, this week I feel compelled to write about a difficult topic: child abduction and child safety. This is because firstly it’s Child Protection Week this week and secondly because of recent tragic events on the Sunshine Coast.
Every person in Queensland would be aware of the disappearance of Daniel Morcombe and the long painful quest to find out what happened to Daniel. It is every parent’s worst nightmare to discover that their child is missing. Sometimes, there is good news when a child is found safe and sound, but occasionally we know that parents’ worst fears are realised. Our hearts go out to the Morcombe family and most of us silently say, “There but for the grace of God go I.”
Abductions of children while not common on the Sunshine Coast are still a huge cause for concern given what we have witnessed recently. Only last week the school received reports of attempted abductions at nearby schools in Caloundra. It is essential that everybody makes child safety a priority and the helpful tips below come from a very useful website: http://www.reallifesolutions.net/family/abductions.html
Here are some of the realities of child abduction:
• The majority of children who are reported missing have run away, or there has been a misunderstanding with their parents about where they were supposed to be.
• Of the young people that are truly abducted, the majority of them are taken by a family member or an acquaintance; only 25% of children are taken by strangers.
• Almost all children kidnapped by strangers are taken by men, and about two thirds of stranger abductions involve female children.
• Most abducted children are in their teens.
• Children are rarely abducted from school grounds.
Strategies for Preventing Abductions: Parents often do not provide their children with safety information that could help prevent an abduction.
These strategies may help:
• Make sure custody documents are in order.
• Have ID-like photos taken of your children every 6 months, and keep these readily accessible.
• Keep your children's medical and dental records up to date.
• Make online safety a priority. The Internet is a great tool, but it's also a perfect place for predators to stalk children. Be aware of your children's Internet activities and chat room "friends," and remind them never to give out personal information. Avoid posting identifying information or photos of your children online.
• Set boundaries about the places your children go. Supervise them in places like shopping centres, movie theatres, parks, public toilets, and don’t let your child do fundraising door to door.
• Never leave children alone in a car or stroller, even for a minute.
• Choose caregivers - babysitters, day-care providers, and nannies carefully and check their references. If you've arranged for someone to pick up your children from school or child care, discuss the arrangements beforehand with your children and with the school, kindergarten or the early learning centre.
• Avoid dressing your children in clothing with their names on it - children tend to trust adults who know their names.
Talk to Your Child About Strangers
Talk to your children often about their safety in different places – at home, at the shops or out playing, or coming from and going to school. Give your children the basics on how to avoid and escape potentially dangerous situations.
Teach them to:
• Never accept sweets or gifts from a stranger.
• Never go anywhere with a stranger, even if it sounds like fun. Predators can lure children with questions like "Can you help me find my lost puppy?" or "Do you want to see some cute kittens in my car?" Remind your children that adults they don't know should never ask children to help or to do things for them.
• Run away and scream if someone follows them or tries to force them into a car.
• Say ‘no’ to anyone who tries to make them do something you've said is wrong or touch them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable.
• Always tell you or another trusted adult if a stranger asks personal questions, exposes himself, or otherwise makes them feel uneasy.
• Reassure children that it's OK to tell you even if the person made them promise not to or threatened them in some way.
• Always ask permission from a parent to leave the house, yard, or play area or to go into someone's home.
Keep these other tips in mind, too:
• Make sure younger children know their names, address, phone number including area code, and who to call in case of an emergency.
• Review with your child how to use ‘triple 0’ – what to say, what information to give.
• Discuss what to do if they get lost in a public place or store - most places have emergency procedures for handling lost children. Remind your children that they should never go to the parking lot to look for you. Instruct your children to ask a cashier for help or stand near the registers or front of the building away from the doors.
• Point out the homes of friends around the neighbourhood where your children can go in case of trouble.
• Be sure your children know in whose car they may ride and in whose they may not. Teach them to move away from any car that pulls up beside them and is driven by a stranger, even if that person looks lost or confused.
• Teach your children not to ride with anyone they don't know.
• If your children are old enough to stay home alone, make sure they keep the door locked and never tell anyone who knocks or calls they are home alone.
Parents as a school we do whatever we can to ensure your son or daughter’s safety. All teachers have spoken to students about the importance of being safe and staying safe while away from their parents. We have also spoken to children about road safety too and given the recent accident and death of a cyclist not far from the school, this has brought home how important it is for young people to take good care while riding bicycles or walking to and from school.
What can you do once a precious life has been taken forever? Accidents happen in the blink of an eye. Once the damage is done, nothing can turn back the clock and make it right again. Lives are destroyed. Heartache and remorse follow and for some families the healing process takes a long time; sometimes the pain stays with them all of their lives.
Let’s do all in our power to keep our young people safe and conscious of some of the dangers in life, without overwhelming them with frightening stories. Sensible strategies are a good starting place for discussion with our sons and daughters. Remember: ‘forewarned is forearmed’.
Karon Graham
Principal
Every person in Queensland would be aware of the disappearance of Daniel Morcombe and the long painful quest to find out what happened to Daniel. It is every parent’s worst nightmare to discover that their child is missing. Sometimes, there is good news when a child is found safe and sound, but occasionally we know that parents’ worst fears are realised. Our hearts go out to the Morcombe family and most of us silently say, “There but for the grace of God go I.”
Abductions of children while not common on the Sunshine Coast are still a huge cause for concern given what we have witnessed recently. Only last week the school received reports of attempted abductions at nearby schools in Caloundra. It is essential that everybody makes child safety a priority and the helpful tips below come from a very useful website: http://www.reallifesolutions.net/family/abductions.html
Here are some of the realities of child abduction:
• The majority of children who are reported missing have run away, or there has been a misunderstanding with their parents about where they were supposed to be.
• Of the young people that are truly abducted, the majority of them are taken by a family member or an acquaintance; only 25% of children are taken by strangers.
• Almost all children kidnapped by strangers are taken by men, and about two thirds of stranger abductions involve female children.
• Most abducted children are in their teens.
• Children are rarely abducted from school grounds.
Strategies for Preventing Abductions: Parents often do not provide their children with safety information that could help prevent an abduction.
These strategies may help:
• Make sure custody documents are in order.
• Have ID-like photos taken of your children every 6 months, and keep these readily accessible.
• Keep your children's medical and dental records up to date.
• Make online safety a priority. The Internet is a great tool, but it's also a perfect place for predators to stalk children. Be aware of your children's Internet activities and chat room "friends," and remind them never to give out personal information. Avoid posting identifying information or photos of your children online.
• Set boundaries about the places your children go. Supervise them in places like shopping centres, movie theatres, parks, public toilets, and don’t let your child do fundraising door to door.
• Never leave children alone in a car or stroller, even for a minute.
• Choose caregivers - babysitters, day-care providers, and nannies carefully and check their references. If you've arranged for someone to pick up your children from school or child care, discuss the arrangements beforehand with your children and with the school, kindergarten or the early learning centre.
• Avoid dressing your children in clothing with their names on it - children tend to trust adults who know their names.
Talk to Your Child About Strangers
Talk to your children often about their safety in different places – at home, at the shops or out playing, or coming from and going to school. Give your children the basics on how to avoid and escape potentially dangerous situations.
Teach them to:
• Never accept sweets or gifts from a stranger.
• Never go anywhere with a stranger, even if it sounds like fun. Predators can lure children with questions like "Can you help me find my lost puppy?" or "Do you want to see some cute kittens in my car?" Remind your children that adults they don't know should never ask children to help or to do things for them.
• Run away and scream if someone follows them or tries to force them into a car.
• Say ‘no’ to anyone who tries to make them do something you've said is wrong or touch them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable.
• Always tell you or another trusted adult if a stranger asks personal questions, exposes himself, or otherwise makes them feel uneasy.
• Reassure children that it's OK to tell you even if the person made them promise not to or threatened them in some way.
• Always ask permission from a parent to leave the house, yard, or play area or to go into someone's home.
Keep these other tips in mind, too:
• Make sure younger children know their names, address, phone number including area code, and who to call in case of an emergency.
• Review with your child how to use ‘triple 0’ – what to say, what information to give.
• Discuss what to do if they get lost in a public place or store - most places have emergency procedures for handling lost children. Remind your children that they should never go to the parking lot to look for you. Instruct your children to ask a cashier for help or stand near the registers or front of the building away from the doors.
• Point out the homes of friends around the neighbourhood where your children can go in case of trouble.
• Be sure your children know in whose car they may ride and in whose they may not. Teach them to move away from any car that pulls up beside them and is driven by a stranger, even if that person looks lost or confused.
• Teach your children not to ride with anyone they don't know.
• If your children are old enough to stay home alone, make sure they keep the door locked and never tell anyone who knocks or calls they are home alone.
Parents as a school we do whatever we can to ensure your son or daughter’s safety. All teachers have spoken to students about the importance of being safe and staying safe while away from their parents. We have also spoken to children about road safety too and given the recent accident and death of a cyclist not far from the school, this has brought home how important it is for young people to take good care while riding bicycles or walking to and from school.
What can you do once a precious life has been taken forever? Accidents happen in the blink of an eye. Once the damage is done, nothing can turn back the clock and make it right again. Lives are destroyed. Heartache and remorse follow and for some families the healing process takes a long time; sometimes the pain stays with them all of their lives.
Let’s do all in our power to keep our young people safe and conscious of some of the dangers in life, without overwhelming them with frightening stories. Sensible strategies are a good starting place for discussion with our sons and daughters. Remember: ‘forewarned is forearmed’.
Karon Graham
Principal
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