Some security guidelines for families with children

Some Security Guidelines for Families with Children
updated November 1999 We present some general guidelines to help keep your children safe from violence while in and out of home. Remember that the best things you can do is provide supervision for your children and maintain open lines of communication between you and your child. Be involved in their lives. Listen to their concerns. It is important to be aware that most violence against children is perpetrated by someone they know, not by strangers. Pay attention to whether your child seems frightened or uncomfortable around a certain person. Also, statistics show that men are more likely than women to sexually abuse a child. Here are some suggested reading materials.

At home:

Keep the door to the children's room open so that any unusual noises can be heard.
Be certain that the child's room is not easily accessible from the outside.
Never leave children at home unattended and be certain that they are left in the care of a responsible, trustworthy individual.
Instruct the children to keep doors and windows locked and never to admit strangers.
Keep the house well lit if it becomes necessary to leave the children at home.
If your child tells you a story of abuse, do not dismiss it offhand. It may be genuine. Psychologists tell us that it is very difficult for small children to lie about such matters.

Day Care Centers/Schools

Determine the screening procedures under which care-providers are hired in your schools/day care centers. An effective system for checking the qualifications and references of their staff should be in place and used.
Schools & day care centers as well as parents and youth agencies, should take steps to assure that adult supervision is provided in school and recreational areas.
The day care center of your choice should be fully licensed and accredited.
Make sure the staff to children ratio is adequate for good supervision.
Make sure the day care center/school has policies against physical or abusive punishment to discipline the children. Discuss the day care center's/school’s policy for preventing child abuse by the staff.
Unannounced visits to the day care center should be permitted at all times and you should take advantage of this to observe the children to determine how well they are cared for and the staff's level of expertise.
All areas of the day care center should be accessible to parents.
Make sure that the staff cannot take children away from the day care center or school without permission from parents. Instruct your children that they should never leave the day care center or school without permission.
Pay attention to negative reports by friends, neighbors or parents familiar with a specific day care center.
Children who are afraid of returning to a day care center after a reasonable period of adjustment should be removed from the program and the cause for this fear investigated.
Interview potential child care providers and babysitters. Trust your intuition, but also ask specific questions about things you are concerned about.
Immediately investigate injuries or bruises of unknown origin.
Investigate any complaints by your child of long periods of playing alone.
Investigate reports of any rude, harsh or otherwise discourteous behavior by caregivers.

When old enough, teach children:

to trust their feelings about when a person is scary, untrustworthy, etc.
how to communicate with people and to determine who will help them and who they shouldn't approach.
to tell you whenever they leave home.
to travel in groups or pairs and along heavily travelled streets.
to avoid isolated areas.
to refuse gifts or rides from strangers (even if they say they are a friend of the parent) and refuse to accompany strangers anywhere on foot.
to use play areas where recreational activities are supervised by responsible adults and police protection is readily available.
to immediately report anybody who molests or annoys them to the nearest person of authority.
to never leave home alone without telling their parents where they will be and who will accompany them.
to tell you (or if at school, a teacher) about any incidents of improper touching by adults or by older children.
that it's all right to make noise, scream or yell if a stranger is trying to take them somewhere. To yell "this isn't my father (or mother)" if a stranger is trying to take them somewhere.
if someone tells them to "not tell", they should tell.
that it is all right to physically resist an adult they don't know and how to do this
that police officers are their friends who will help them. This applies to older children who can distinguish police officers from security guards.
how to call the police, and instruct them to contact the police if strangers or prowlers are seen around the house or attempt to get in.