With the 2023 academic year starting this week, there is excitement among learners who look forward to new friends and new experiences.
Children need to be reminded about safety protocols when arriving and leaving school. With many parents working, school transfers, au pairs and lift shares are very common. It is not always easy for the school to keep track of how children are arriving or leaving so parents need to reinforce some basic safety protocols.
This is particularly relevant following the spate of kidnappings reported last year.
Charnel Hattingh, head of group marketing and communications for Fidelity ADT, has advice that can help increase peace of mind. She suggested the following tips be shared with children, that they are encouraged to practise them every day:
- If your child is getting picked up at school by yourself, an au pair or lift scheme, always tell them to wait inside the grounds for their lift to arrive. They must never leave the premises to go and look for their ride in the street.
- Remind your children that you would not send someone they don’t know to fetch them. Children should never get into a stranger’s car even if that person claims that someone they love is hurt and they were sent to pick them up. It is a good idea to consider using a password system. Your child will then know that the correct person is collecting them and who they can trust.
- Parents should always notify the school if there is a change in transport arrangements so they can manage the situation and alert the child.
- Tell your children if a stranger approaches them in the parking area, they should not talk to them no matter how friendly they may seem. If someone tries to grab them, they need to fight, kick and scream to alert others of the danger.
- For children who live close enough to school to walk home, they should ideally always walk to or from school with a friend or friends. If your child walks alone, it’s a good idea to ask a teacher or other parents if they know of other children from the area who do the same. Some areas have started “walking buses”, where local parents volunteer to walk to and from school with a group of school children, to ensure their safety.
- Stick to streets you know and never take short cuts through unfamiliar or quiet areas.
In some cases, when parents are working all day, and domestic helpers may not be around all day, children must keep themselves occupied until their parents return home in the evening. “It is extremely important that the children know not to let anyone into the house without your permission,” Hattingh advised. “If you are going to be late let your children know as soon as possible and give them an idea of when they can expect you to be home.
She suggested drawing up a list of important telephone numbers with emergency services, parents’ work and cellphone numbers. “Save it on your child’s cellphone and stick it on or near the landline. It’s also important to explain to them when these should be used.”
Hattingh added each household member, including children, should also know how to use their home security system, and when and how to use the panic buttons.
