Your children should always get your approval before going anywhere, including inside someone's home. Emphasise to them that it is necessary to get your approval, even if they are asked to go somewhere with someone you or they know.

Your children should always tell you the names and addresses of their friends. You should get to know them, their parents and where they live. Speak with the parents of your children's friends to ensure they will be supervised, if allowed to visit their home.

Children should never play outside alone. They should never be left unsupervised, since this increases their risk of being abducted.

Teach your children to be aware of their surroundings and to quickly move away from any adult they believe is following them. They should be taught that if someone tries to abduct them, they should scream as loud as they can "This person is trying to take me away" or "This is not my parent".

Your children should be taught to stay away from people in cars. Tell them never to approach a car, engage in conversation with anyone in a car, or go anywhere with any person in a car without your approval.

When children have to take public transportation, teach them to take only registered taxis and buses. The JUTC Smart-Card system is a good means of tracking the journey of children, should they get lost.

Teach older children that it is dangerous to take rides from strangers, even if these strangers may know one of their friends.

Sometimes abductors, with whom a child is familiar, will say they have been sent by a parent to pick the child up. Children should be taught never to go with anyone unless you have told them, in advance, that it is okay, or they know the 'password' that you and your child have agreed upon in such situations.

Teach older children with mobile phones to call you to verify that you have asked someone to take them home. Teach them that text messages from your number in such circumstances are not acceptable.

See more in Tuesday's Gleaner.