How to Protect Children
At the Blank Children's STAR Center, our staff not only helps children and families who have been victims of abuse, we also work with the community to help keep children safe. The following information offers ways you can help the children in your community stay safe. Additionally, Take25.org offers these resources to help your family have a conversation about personal safety at home:
Safety + Love = Happy Children
Child safety is a serious subject, but that doesn't mean you can't have an enjoyable time talking about it with children. Sing songs, tell stories, play games, and interact with kids in a way that makes them feel safer. Consider the following topics as you begin the conversation:
- Teach children their full names, address, and home telephone number.
- Make sure they know your full name.
- Make sure children know how to reach you at work or on your cell phone.
- Teach children how and when to use 911 and make sure children have a trusted adult to call if they're scared or have an emergency.
- Instruct children to keep the door locked and not to open the door to talk to anyone when they are home alone.
- Set rules with children about having visitors over when you're not home and how to answer the telephone.
Source: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, www.ncmec.org.