What do you do if you lose your child?

Below is some guidance and tips to help you.

Advice for Parents

What you can do to prevent your children from getting lost

• encourage your child to stay close to you in shops or other busy venues, and to hold your hand, buggy or trolley
• use reins or wrist straps on young children in busy places.
• don't leave your children in unsupervised play areas
• buggy boards are great for keeping an older child close to you

If they do get lost

• teach your children to learn their names, address and telephone number
• put labels in their clothing with their full name on
• make sure the children know that shops, theme parks and shopping centre staff wear uniforms and name badges and teach them to go and tell an assistant if they do become lost
• make sure your child can identify the area that they need to go to if they get lost, for example a customer service desk, check-out or information point

If you do lose your child

• don't panic, go and tell the closest member of staff or enquire at the nearest point of contact
• if in a shopping centre, ask the checkouts of the nearest store
• listen carefully to any public address announcements - it might not be your child that is lost, but they may be near you
• enquire at the nearest security point or call the police

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