EMPD shares tips to keep your child safe during school holidays
Take extra precautions to ensure your children are safe during the break from school.
As schools closed for the holiday break, the EMPD Social Crime Prevention Unit (SCPU) urged community members to be extra cautious and ensure the safety of their children.
The most pressing issues entail neglect, child abuse and cyberbullying.
The SCPU officers increased efforts to educate children and parents through various safety programmes.
Officers encouraged children to turn to police officials for help and advice.
Here are a few tips to follow to ensure your children’s safety during the school holidays:
• Urge them never to walk alone but in groups.
• Notify parents of their whereabouts.
• Refrain from communicating with strangers.
• Keep away from parks with groups who smoke and consume alcohol.
• If children are indoors, they must ensure the gates and doors are locked.
• Keep all appliances off when there is load-shedding.
• They should not leave keys inside the yard where they are easily accessible.
• Should they need to go somewhere, let them go with a neighbour.
• They should not open the door to any agents, whether in uniform or not.
• Parents should keep medication out of the reach of children.
• When shopping with children, teach them that should they get lost, they should look for security or the closest shop assistant for help.
• Do not leave candles or matches in the reach of children.
• Make sure a trustworthy adult supervises when you are not home.
The EMPD Social Crime Prevention Unit wished children a good holiday rest before resuming the last term of the year.
