Ten Steps to Prevent Child Abduction
According to the Child Crime Prevention and Safety Center, the majority of abduction cases are committed by family members. However, 28% of kidnappings are carried out by strangers. The FBI estimates that every 40 seconds, a child goes missing or is abducted in the United States, with approximately 840,000 children reported missing each year.
The difference between kidnapping and abduction is that kidnapping refers to taking by force, threat, or deceit, with the intent to cause harm. Abduction involves persuasion, fraud, or force, and can be used in the context of family disputes.
The most common reasons kids go missing include wandering off, being abducted by strangers or family members without a court order, running away, getting lost, and mental health issues. Nearly all children abducted by strangers are taken by men, with about two-thirds of stranger abductions involving female children.
Here are ten practical ways to reduce the risk of child abduction.
1. Establish a secure check-in and check-out process.
A straightforward, consistent process for receiving and releasing children is one of the most suggested deterrents in studies on church security. At a minimum, you should have a way to ensure every child is released only to an approved guardian and be confident in your safety guidelines that state that no matching guardian receipt equals no release.
2. Limit and monitor access to the children’s area.
There should be one place of entrance and exit from the building that holds the children’s areas that is staffed, with the interior doors locked once programs begin. Installing door alarms or buzzers that indicate when a door opens unexpectedly is also helpful.
3. Always follow the “Rule of Two.”
The Rule of Two is the preferred standard for abuse prevention and abduction. It states that your organization will never allow one adult to be alone with a child who is not their own in a classroom, hallway, bathroom, off-site event, or combined age classes. No fewer than two fully screened adults and two children must always be present.
4. Implement background checks.
Every member of your staff and all volunteers should be screened against the national sex-offender databases and criminal registry. The check should be rerun every year for those working directly with children. Comprehensive screening deters bad behavior and makes would-be offenders think twice about joining your team.
5. Offer safety training for staff and volunteers.
A well-trained staff and volunteer team lower the number of incidents and respond more quickly to emergencies. Safety training should be informative, practical, and easy to understand. Volunteers should learn to identify suspicious behavior, follow emergency protocols, contact security, and challenge unauthorized pickups.
6. Maintain appropriate adult-to-child ratios.
Ratios should meet or exceed the standards of NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), such as one adult for every two children from birth to 1 year old and one adult per child for children aged two to five.
7. Increase interior visibility.
Increased lines of sight make it harder for an abduction to occur. Keep interior windows and doors half open so activities are visible from hallways and security cameras. If needed, portable baby gates are an excellent option for keeping young kids in the classroom while providing visibility.
8. Verify custody restrictions and arrangements.
Keep current notes on restraining orders or custody arrangements available to staff. Children may not be aware that they are not allowed to be retrieved by a parent other than the one who has initially checked them in.
9. Utilize “floaters” for additional surveillance.
Designate additional staff and volunteers to roam the halls, go between classrooms, watch the entrance and exit locations, and monitor live feeds. A roving presence deters possible abductions more than just using static cameras. Also, don’t forget to leverage your security team. They are an excellent resource for helping keep watch, diffuse volatile situations, and respond to emergencies.
10. Keep the current contact info for guardians up to date.
Current contact information is essential not only in emergencies but also to display on the child’s name badge. The name badge acts as a security feature that helps staff and volunteers quickly access important information. Mobile numbers, health and wellness details (such as allergies), special needs, and photo permissions should all be updated. In KidCheck, we have parent maintained accounts, meaning that parents and guardians update the information. This helps to ensure the information is always correct, and it’s much easier and more reliable than having account admins trying to track it down.
Click here to learn more about the benefits of using secure mobile Express Check-In, children’s and youth check-in, and volunteer scheduling to help manage your events.
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Sources:
https://childsafety.losangelescriminallawyer.pro/missing-and-abducted-children.html
https://www.missingkids.org/theissues/nonfamily
https://childsafety.losangelescriminallawyer.pro/non-family-abduction
Photo by pouria oskuie on Unsplash
