National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Published October 1st, 2008
BETHEL, Conn., - The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Duracell are partnering for the third consecutive year through the Power of Parents child safety program to arm families with important new information about school year safety. According to new data released today from NCMEC, most abduction attempts occur after-school, between the hours of 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.(1) Almost half of non-family abduction attempts happen when a child is walking to or from school or a related school activity.(2) NCMEC also found that the overwhelming majority of children affected by abduction attempts are young girls (74 percent) between the ages of 10 and 14 years old. As 56 million students grades K through 12 are beginning their school year, it is more important than ever for families to take the time to have important safety discussions.
To help parents guide the conversation with their children, NCMEC and Duracell have expanded their child safety resource portfolio with the addition of a new, free Child Safety Handbook. The handbook has been developed for parents of children who are infant through high school ages. It is available on www.powerofparentsonline.com .
As children are back in school, NCMEC and Duracell encourage parents to pay attention to and carefully become familiar with the adults who are in their children’s lives including tutors, coaches, day care providers and after-school program leaders. Currently, only 58 percent of parents and guardians are taking this important step.(3)
“We know that the best line of defense in child safety is the guidance of a parent and we hope that the data we’ve released today serves as a reminder to families of the need to have conversations about safety with their children,” said Ernie Allen, president and CEO, NCMEC. “We are proud to again be partnering with our friends at Duracell to offer the new Child Safety Handbook.”
The Power of Parents Child Safety Handbook provides safety tips from the experts at NCMEC for four key child development stages: infant to toddler, ages 4-6, ages 7-11 and ages 12-17. Understanding that with these different stages of development a child’s behavior pattern changes, the handbook outlines age-appropriate tips and scenarios that parents need to be aware of, as well as some outside influences that may be impacting their child’s actions. A sampling of current technologies such as applications of GPS, wireless and Radio Frequency Identification technologies used for child safety precautions also are highlighted.
“We hope the combination of the data released today and the new Child Safety Handbook inspires families to really take a hard look at the safety issues that our children currently face and, most importantly, creates a sense of urgency to have this important talk with their kids,” said Rick June, Duracell Vice President and General Manager. “Duracell is incredibly proud to extend its relationship with NCMEC through this important safety program. We hope that together we can help make a difference in every home and schoolyard.”
The Power of Parents program launched in April 2006 with the goal of helping parents prepare, protect and empower their children by providing useful safety tools and information for families. The Power of Parents program Web site ( www.powerofparentsonline.com ) contains a variety of important safety tools for families including a free downloadable child photo ID guide, seasonal safety tips, a six-month photo ID reminder service, a free children’s book designed to help 4-6 year olds understand safety concepts and Teachable Moments Guides.
In addition to providing these free safety tools, as a part of the Power of Parents program, Duracell will make a monetary donation to NCMEC. The Company will also supply Duracell Daylite(R) flashlights and batteries to NCMEC’s Team Adam, a network of on-site rapid response consultants who provide technical assistance to local law enforcement officers who investigate cases of child abduction and exploitation across the country.
About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Since it was established by Congress in 1984, the organization has operated the toll-free 24-hour national missing children’s hotline, which has handled more than 2.3 million calls. It has assisted law enforcement in the recovery of more than 128,750 children. The organization’s CyberTipline has handled more than 600,000 reports of child sexual exploitation and its Child Victim Identification Program has reviewed and analyzed more than 14,750,000 child pornography images and videos. The organization works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice’s office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. To learn more about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit its Web site at www.missingkids.com .
