Child Safety

Parents, guardians, and adults who care for children face constant challenges when trying to help keep children safer in today's fast-paced world. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) offers easy-to-use safety resources to help address these challenges.

For decades, children were taught to stay away from "strangers." 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.

NCMEC is the nation's resource center for protecting children. Our prevention and safety education programs and materials contain information and tips that will help you keep your children safer. The Just In Case... and Know the Rules publication series are especially important for parents and guardians.

Child Safety is More Than a Slogan
By Nancy A. McBride, National Safety Director

So what does "stranger danger" really mean, and do children benefit from an outdated and incomplete message? Here's what we have learned about the "stranger-danger" concept