• Tell your child about the abduction problem in a calm, simple way as if teaching any other important coping skill.
   
• By age five, your child should know the names for private parts of the body, know the difference between "good touch" and "bad touch."
   
• Teach your child his or her full name, address, telephone number (including area code), and how to dial  "911" for help or "0" for operator.
   
• Keep your child in sight at all times.  Most abductions occur within a few blocks of the victim's home - even their own front yard - when the child is left alone and unsupervised.
   
• Adults rarely ask children for directions or help.  Teach your child that if this happens, they should ignore the person asking and go home or to another safe place.
   
• Teach your child that a stranger is anyone they don't know well.  Strangers can be kind and friendly, but they are still strangers.
   
• Do not purchase clothing or school supplies with your child's name on them.  Knowing a child's name is a way for an abductor to establish a rapport with a child.
   
• Teach your child that it is okay to run away and scream if someone is making them do something they don't want to do.  They should then go and tell you or a trusted adult what happened.
   
• Never leave your child alone in a car or unattended in a supermarket or shopping mall.  Teach your child to go to the nearest store clerk for help if you get separated.
   
• Take head-and-shoulder photos of your child at least once a year.

Avoid parental abduction
(PDF document)
 

Avoid stranger abduction
(PDF document)
 

Runaway warning signs
(PDF document)