Basics:
- Make sure children know their full name, address (city & state), and telephone number including area code.
- Be sure children know how to call 911 (from a cell phone or pay phone too).
- Teach children never to accept rides or gifts from someone they don’t know.
- Teach children to go to a store clerk, security guard or police officer for help if lost in a mall, store or on the street.
- Children should be accompanied to public restrooms.
- Teach children that no one, not even someone they know, has the right to touch them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable. Tell them they have the right to say "NO."
- Determine safe places your children can go in your neighborhood in an emergency, like a trusted neighbor’s house.
At Home:
- Children should carry their house keys on them in a concealed place, not left hidden outside the house.
- Teach your children to use the door and window locks and alarm system, if there is one.
- Children should know to never allow anyone into the home without the parent’s permission.
- Children should never let a caller at the door or on the telephone know that they are home alone.
- Children should be taught how to escape a house in case of fire.
- Children should be taught not to go into an empty house or apartment if things don’t look right – a broken window, ripped screen or open door, for example.
- Parents should take time to talk to children about the deadly consequences of guns, medicines, power tools, drugs, alcohol, cleaning products and inhalants. These items should be in a secure place out of sight and locked up.
- When home alone, children should be able to easily locate key telephone numbers:
- Parent’s work number(s)
- Number of relatives or trusted neighbors
- Police and fire department
- Poison Control Center
Preventing Sexual Abuse – Tips for Parents:
- Talk to your child every day and take time to really listen and observe. Learn as many details as you can about your child’s activities and feelings. Encourage him or her to share concerns and problems with you.
- Let your child know that he or she can tell you anything, and that you will be supportive.
- Teach children that no one, not even someone they know, has the right to touch them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable. Tell them they have the right to say “NO.”
- Don’t force kids to kiss or hug or sit on a grown-ups lap if they don’t want to. This gives them control and teaches them that they have the right to refuse.
- Always know where your child is and who he or she is with.
- Tell your child to stay away from strangers who hang around playgrounds, public restrooms and schools.
- Be alert for changes in your child’s behavior that could signal sexual abuse such as sudden secretiveness, withdrawal from activities, refusal to go to school, unexpected hostility toward a favorite baby-sitter or relative or increased anxiety. Some physical signs of abuse include bed-wetting, loss of appetite, venereal disease, nightmares, and complaints of pain or irritation around the genitals.
- If your child is a victim of any crime, from stolen lunch money to sexual abuse don’t blame him or her. Listen and offer sympathy.
Fingerprinting:
Many national, state and local organizations have sponsored fingerprinting programs for children. The purpose of the fingerprinting program is to provide a means of identifying a child. Law enforcement agencies, including the California State University, Northridge Police Department, offer child fingerprinting kits at no cost. For more information on children's fingerprinting contact the Crime Prevention Unit: (818) 677-5820.
Personal, at-home kits and child abduction resource information is also available courtesy of the Polly Klass Foundation.
Order your FREE child safety kit today by visiting the Polly Klass Foundation web site.
Cyber Safety for Children:
The internet has opened up a world of information for children. It also exposes them to risks. Children can be the target of a crime and exploitation as they use online internet services. Below are some recommendations for parents:
- Teach your children not to give out identifying information such as their name (first or last), parent’s name(s), home address, telephone numbers and school name if they meet people online. Knowing whom your children communicate with on the computer is key.
- Know the internet services your child uses. Learn how to block out objectionable material.
- Never permit a child to arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they meet over the internet without parental permission. If such a meeting is arranged, make sure you accompany your child in a public location.
- Teach children not to respond to messages in chat rooms or bulletin board items that are suggestive, obscene or threatening. They should be encouraged to tell their parents if they encounter such messages.
- Children should not be allowed to send pictures of themselves to anyone without a parent’s permission.
- If parents become aware of the transmission, use or viewing of child pornography on the internet, they should immediately report it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (1-800-843-5678) and your online service provider.
- It is recommended that the computer with internet access be kept in a family room or public place where everyone can access it; rather than a child’s bedroom.
- Children should have rules and guidelines for their computer use. Compliance with these rules should be monitored by a parent. Children should not be allowed to have excessive use of online services, especially at night.
- Children should never be allowed to enter an area on the internet that charges for services without permission of a parent.
- Parents should make sure that access to the internet at their children’s schools is monitored by adults.
- If a child’s friend has internet access at home, be sure to talk to the parents about the rules you have established for internet use.
(American Crime Prevention Institute, Law Enforcement Officer’s Crime Prevention Manual, 2001)