August means summer is coming to an end and a new school year
is about to begin. There are lunches to prepare, outfits to plan and
supplies to buy. The start of school also provides the perfect
opportunity to talk to kids about personal and online safety.
Since 2005, NCMEC has compiled and
analyzed data about attempted abductions and related incidents. Slightly more than
one-third of these occurred between 2:00-7:00 p.m., the time frame
when children are out of school and are least likely to be supervised.
You can help keep your children safer by encouraging them to always take
a friend or travel in groups. For more tips about personal safety, check
out KidSmartz.
Children may also face risks online
during the school year. You are your child's best resource to help
prevent incidences of cyberbullying, sexting and other types of risky
online behavior. Knowing what to say to help keep your children safer may
seem like a daunting task but we have made it easier for you through our NetSmartz Workshop.
We encourage you to use the KidSmartz and
NetSmartz resources to start the conversation with your children about
personal safety and digital citizenship. And remember, we are able to
provide these presentations to parents and schools, free of charge,
thanks to your generous donations. If you think your school district
would benefit from learning more about ways to stay safer, please contact
us at NCMEC_Texas@ncmec.org.
This workshop will provide child welfare stakeholders
knowledge and resources to address, combat, and prevent the exploitation
and trafficking of youth in the child welfare system. CEU and CLE credits
provided!
