News

Protecting your children

THE CENTRE FOR the Investigation of Sexual Offences (CISO) has issued some safety tips for parents warning them about how to protect their children this summer.

The CISO said they are releasing the safety tips for parents since there is usually an increase in the number of sexual offences committed during the summer as children are at home and are sometimes left unsupervised.

Against this background, the centre has issued the following tips to help parents protect their children during this holiday period.

Parents should have dialogue with their children when they return home in the days or evenings with a view of finding out what took place while they were away.

Parents are also advised to prevent children from visiting different areas to look for friends they, the parents, are not acquainted with. Additionally, CISO is advising parents to instruct children to remain in their homes and keep off the streets.

They are also informing parents to warn children not to let strangers into their house when an adult is not at home.

People pretend to be postal workers, telephone technicians, and a host of other things to get into people's houses and we are appealing to parents to warn their children about this practice," said Inspector Dutress Foster-Gardener of CISO.

In addition, children should be told not to give strangers their parents and guardians' telephone numbers.

Parents who work close to home should use their lunch times to visit their children.

Inspector Gardener said parents when possible should also try to take vacations during the summer or employ responsible helpers where possible.

The CISO, she said, is also advising parents to seek permission from employers to take their children to work some days. They are also advising that parents equip children with cell phones as a means of communicating with them.

The police said parents should leave children at safe houses where the persons can be trusted. In addition, they said neighbours can be asked from time to time to check in on children.

They are also asking parents to make arrangements for children to be occupied in activities such as summer school and other summer programmes.