Keep your kids safe this holiday
They say it takes a village to raise a child, but it takes superheroes to keep them safe
Missing Children.
Two words that inspire absolute dread.
Do you know that a child goes missing every five hours in South Africa, and that during the holiday season it can happen even more frequently?
Missing Children South Africa is a Non-Profit Organisation that helps in the awful event when a child (or adult) goes missing.
They have a network of volunteers countrywide, an extensive social media support system, and, with the help of SAPS, they have a 77% success rate.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, but it takes superheroes to keep them safe.
Real life superheroes don’t wear capes – they are people like you and me.
Be a hero and keep our children safe.
Please consider donating to Missing Children to assist with the vital role it plays in finding children and supporting their families.
To protect your children, consider implementing the following as a family:
- Before embarking on your holiday, ensure your child knows their own names, their guardians’ names, and mobile number.
- DO NOT share your holiday plans on social media.
- Teach your child the “Buddy System”, which is to aways take a friend with them – don’t go anywhere alone.
- Create an exclusive family password and always ensure you pick them up at the pre-arranged time. If for any reason you must send someone to meet them or pick them up, the person should know the password, otherwise your children should not go with them.
- Make sure you know where the police station and hospital are for emergencies. Ask locals which areas to avoid.
- Always keep a recent photograph of your child with you. Should you have an emergency, you have the photograph ready.
- If you suspect a child or person missing, please report it immediately to the nearest police station. There is NO waiting period to report a missing person. DO NOT WAIT 24 hours to report your child missing, especially during the holiday season.
- Going to shopping malls or beaches over the holiday period can be a nightmare. Dress your child in brightly coloured clothes to make it easier to spot them and be sure to remember what they are wearing. ALWAYS accompany your child to the bathrooms.
- Don’t treat public facilities as a “convenient babysitter”. Do not leave your children alone at the beach, play areas or public places. Predators are known to look for unsupervised kids.
- Talk to your kids before a family outing. Make a rule that you must always be able to see them, and they must always be able to see you. With older children agree on a designated “meeting place” ahead of time, in case you become separated. Make sure you instruct your child not to approach just any adult for help, but to wait at the designated meeting spot until you or a family member gets there – and to only go with those who know the exclusive password.
Join the fight today and assist MCSA in bringing children home safely.
Emergency number 072 647 7464 or www.missingchilren.org.za
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