Crime prevention safety tips for children

PARENTS or children’s caretakers must take responsibility for their children and ensure their safety at all times. Keep an open line of communication and trust between parents and children, children and the school, and know children’s friends.

Teach your children:

Basic safety rules and to follow the rules and instructions well.

To trust the police and that they are their friends.

To only approach uniformed police officials and/or marked police cars.

Never to approach a vehicle unless they are absolutely sure they know the occupants.

Never to accept a lift from strangers.

Not to talk to adults they do not know.

Never to accept sweets, money or ice cream from a stranger.

To avoid giving your home telephone number to strangers.

To walk to and from school and bus stops in groups.

To stay close to you, especial at swimming pools, beaches and busy shopping centres.

Not to wander off, to avoid lonely places and not to take short cuts through alleys or deserted areas, and not to hitchhike.

Parents must be observant so that they can identify any abnormal behaviour from their children. When you go to crowded public places such as shopping malls or beaches ensure that your children has your cellphone or telephone number with them in case they get lost.

Home alone: for the children to be less vulnerable to dangerous situations they must:

Not be left alone at home or where they can become susceptible to abuse, alcohol and drugs.

Be taught how to give directios to your home in case of emergency.

Be taught to carry a house key with them in a safe place; don’t leave it under a mat or on a ledge outside the house.

Be taught never to let a caller at the door or phone know that they are alone. Teach children to say “mom or dad can’t come to the phone or door right now”.

Children must:

Be taught to keep the doors and windows closed/locked.

Know their parents and the police numbers.

Know their homes street address.

Know that its fine to say no when they are faced with uncomfortable situations.

If threatened or in an emergency, teach children to respond appropriately.

They should:

Run away.

Yell loudly.

Tell you exactly what is happening.

Examples:

Help, this is not my dad or mother.

Help, I am being kidnapped.

Help, call the police.

Inform police of any suspicious characters who you consider to pose a threat.

Emergency numbers:

Flying squad: 10111 fraud and corruption 0800 701 701

SAPS crime stop 08600 1011 trauma centre 083 923 1967/083 923 1978

Crime line SMS 32211 child line 0800 055 555

Sector 1 071 675 6870/6871/6874/6875 Sector 2 071 675 6872 / 6873

Sector 3 071 675 6877

Constable Mgedezi: 011 861 6800