Keep your children safe

THE Easter holidays are around the corner, and parents are gearing up to keep their children safe while they enjoy a break from school.

As parents, we know that safety is the top priority. We are offering some tips to ensure your children have a secure school holiday.

● First, communication is key. Open communication with your children is one of the most important things you can do to keep them safe.

Talk to them about security concerns and teach them to identify potentially dangerous situations. Encourage them to speak up if they feel uncomfortable or scared in any situation.

Be prepared to listen and act on their concerns. We encourage you to reach out via our call centre or your panic buttons if you or your kids encounter anyone who has acted in a way that makes your children feel unsafe.

● Supervision is also a key aspect of children’s safety.

Always ensure that your children are supervised by a responsible adult. Plan activities that can be enjoyed together as a family or ensure that your children are supervised by a trusted family member, friend or caregiver. This is vital when visiting crowded public places such as parks or shopping centres, where your kids can easily become separated from you in the holiday crowds.

● Online safety is more important than ever in 2023.

With more time on their hands, children may be spending more time online, and parents should ensure that they monitor which websites and social media platforms their children use.

Teach your children about the potential dangers of sharing personal information and interacting with strangers online. If your kids are on these platforms, they should only be using them to chat with people they know in real life, like friends and family, and never with strangers.

Parents are urged to consider the importance of having up-to-date identification information for their children. If a child does become separated from their parents, having a recent photo and detailed information about the child can help authorities locate, and reunite the child with their family.

● Parents should ensure that their homes are secure and that their children are aware of basic safety measures. This includes locking doors and windows, keeping valuable items out of sight, and ensuring that children are aware of emergency procedures, such as how to contact emergency services and what to do in the event of a fire or any other emergency.

Tips

◆ Make sure your children are in a safe, controlled environment while you’re at work, such as a trusted school after-care facility; in the care of a caregiver or family member; or attending a reputable holiday club or school-organised camp.

◆ Teach your teenagers how to operate your alarm system and press the panic button to familiarise themselves with the process in case of an emergency.

◆ Ensure that all doors are locked, and easily accessible windows are closed if your children are home alone. Instruct them not to allow anyone to enter the property without permission from you.

◆ Child-proof your home, especially for toddlers and younger kids who may get bored and go digging through the cupboards.

◆ Ensure swimming pools are sealed off with a fence and safety net. Caregivers or family members should always keep a close eye on children swimming.

◆ Save important emergency contact numbers on your kids’ phones and keep a printed list of these numbers close, such as on your fridge or next to the landline, including those of your SAPS station and numbers of neighbours you trust.

◆ Teach your children to memorise their details, including their name and surname, home address, and contact details for either parent. Children as young as 3 and 4 years old are taught to memorise these contact details.

◆ Write your name and phone number with a permanent marker on the child’s arm when you’re at places with big throngs of holiday crowds and a lot of traffic, or where your children could get easily lost or lose sight of you.