Red Cross lists Dos and Don'ts when a child goes missing as cases surge

• Kenya Red Cross has shared vital steps for parents when a child goes missing
• The society insists that immediate reporting and teaching safety measures are crucial for protecting children
• It has urged parents to avoid assumptions and social media rumors and treat every missing case as urgent

As cases of missing children continue to surge daily, the Kenya Red Cross Society has outlined steps parents and the community should follow and those to avoid when a child goes missing.

In a series of social media posts on Tuesday, the society even shared phone numbers to contact and the process of reporting.

What to do when a child goes missing

According to the Red Cross, one should always know where their child is, who they are with, and when they are expected back.

Parents have also been urged to teach their children safe contact information and help them memorise or safely carry a parent’s or guardian’s phone number.

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The emergency number for the police in Kenya is 999, the national child helpline is 116, and the Kenya Red Cross hotline is 1199.

To make the process of searching for missing kids easier, parents have also been urged to keep clear, up-to-date photos of their children to assist with identification if needed.

Thirdly, the Red Cross advises that parents report missing children immediately and not wait 24 hours.

“Report them as soon as you suspect a child is missing,” the Red Cross urged.

Another crucial thing to do is to contact all the necessary authorities, including the police, children’s services, local administration, and the Kenya Red Cross Society, immediately.

Parents have also been urged to teach their children never to accept gifts, lifts, or invitations from anyone without the knowledge of their parents or guardians.

This is because many of these cases are perpetrated by people close to their families, according to the Red Cross.

Lastly, the society urged parents to insist on vetted school handlers.

“Parents should insist that school handlers such as drivers, guides, and other support staff are vetted and have no criminal record,” the notice read.

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What not to do after a child goes missing

As for what not to do, the Red Cross warned parents never to assume that their children will be coming back later.

Essentially, every missing child case should be treated as urgent.

This warning goes hand in hand with the second one of reporting the matter immediately, as the first few minutes and hours are critical in locating a missing child.

It also warned against sharing unverified information on social media

Parents have also been warned not to put their children at risk by leaving young children unattended in public places, transport stations, markets, schools, or playgrounds.

Lastly, members of the public were urged to report any suspicious situations involving child separation, exploitation, neglect, or trafficking immediately.

This comes at a time when Kenyans are becoming more wary of missing persons cases, with the authorities sharing a different story than the parents of missing children.

Source: NgGossips