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What Should You Do if You See A Lost Child?

By LA Ferguson

Parents, guardians, and adults who care for children face constant challenges when trying to help keep children safer in today's fast-paced world. 

For decades, children were taught to stay away from strangers "strangers danger." But this concept is difficult for children to grasp and often the perpetrator is someone the child knows. It is more beneficial to help build children's confidence and teach them to respond to a potentially dangerous situation, rather than teaching them to look out for a particular type of person.

What Should You Do if You See A Child Who Appears To Be Lost? 

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children encourages people to be alert and report suspicious situations regarding missing children and children who appear to be lost. Children should be taught to seek out trusted adults if they become separated and need assistance. These trusted adults include a uniformed law-enforcement or security officer, store salesperson with a name tag, person with a name tag who is working at the information booth, or mother with children.

1. Don’t be afraid to get involved.

2. Comfort the child but use restraint in physically touching  the child.

3. If the child is able to speak, ask if he or she is lost or knows the location of his or her parent/guardian.

4. Refrain from requesting too much personal information since children are taught not to give out this information to people they don’t know.

5. If you have a cellular telephone, contact authorities and report the incident.

6. Try to find someone nearby in a position of authority who may be able to assist.

7. Do not take the child from the immediate location.

8. Do not put the child in your vehicle and drive off seeking help.

9. Ask passers-by to assist.

10. Wait with the child until help arrives.

NCMEC is the nation's resource center for protecting children. They're prevention and safety education programs and materials contain information and tips that will help you keep your children safer.