Safety Tips for Parents
Provided by SCAN (Stop Child Abuse &
Neglect) a program of the National Children's
Advocacy Center Huntsville, Alabama

Know everything you can about your
children's activities and their friends. Monitor
children's activities and participate with
them. Don't allow children to play alone in
isolated areas.
Teach your children about strangers AND to
be aware of unusual behavior in people they
know. Teach them to listen to their feelings
and that it is okay to say no if any adults
(including family members) ask them to do
something that makes them feel
uncomfortable.
Teach your children to refuse anything from
strangers, including money, gifts or rides.
Know where new items come from.
Teach your children how to safely answer the
phone if they are at home alone such as
stating the adult in the house is "unavailable"
to come to the phone.
Teach your children to keep a safe distance
from strangers and not to give strangers
directions for help, finding lost pets, etc.
Adults need to get help from other adults.
Teach children to use the buddy system when
walking home from school, sports activities,
etc. The age-old rule of there's safety in
numbers is a primary safety precaution.
Use secret codes with your children (for use
to positively identify each other or to ask for
help).
Teach your children (including teens) to
check first with you before going anywhere.
Children need to let parents know where they
are going, how they will get there, who will be
going along with them, and when they will
return home.
Develop a family plan stressing where to
meet if lost, when you are away from home.
Do not have children meet you in the parking
lot. Inside the store, shopping mall or
amusement park are much safer places to
meet. Teach them their phone number AND
area code.
Do not place your children's names on their
clothing or on the outside of their
possessions.
Teach your children to say NO to anyone
attempting to touch them on the part(s) of
their bodies covered by a swimming suit.
Teach your children to say NO, then GET
AWAY, and TELL SOMEONE if a person
bothers them.
Join with other concerned parents to set up
safety systems for your neighborhood.
Teach your children about appropriate and
inappropriate secrets and that some secrets
have to be told if children and parents are to
be kept safe.