The following tips from
the FBI will help keep your children safe:
- Make sure that your child knows his/her full name, your full name, your address, and your telephone number(s), including area code(s). Make sure your child knows how to use a telephone and how to call 911.
- Do not leave your young children home alone. If you must leave your teenage children at home by themselves, tell them not to answer the door. If they answer the telephone, they should not mention that they are alone but should say that you will be back shortly.
- Tell your children to move away from cars that pull up beside them if they do not know the driver, even if the driver claims to know you. If your child is being followed, they should know to run home or go to a safe house or the nearest public place.
- Teach your children not to play in isolated areas and not to take shortcuts through empty parks, fields, or alleys.
- Let your children know that they should not accept items from strangers or others with out your express permission.
- Tell your children that they may contact you at any time to pick them up and where to go if you are not available. Point out which houses in your neighborhood they may visit if they are in trouble.
- Never leave your child alone in a public place, stroller, or car, even for brief periods of time.
- Accompany your young children to the bathroom in public places.
- Go with your children during all door-to-door activities.
- Maintain up-to-date identification information on your children at all times, including medical and dental records, Social Security numbers, photographs, etc. Fingerprints and DNA samples also can be collected and stored in your home through the National Child Identification Program Kit (http://www.childidprogram.com/the-id-kit), which is provided by the American Football Coaches Association in partnership with the FBI.