For International Missing Children’s Day, national police agencies from twelve European countries have launched a prevention campaign to educate children across Europe on how to protect themselves from getting lost or against a possible abduction. The campaign is created in close cooperation with AMBER Alert Europe.
The prevention campaign is built around an animated video ‘Stay safe with Simon’. In this video simple, but possibly lifesaving, tips are given to children. These rules of thumb were created by members of the Police Expert Network, consisting of police experts in the field of missing children from all over Europe.
“Every year, 300,000 children go missing across Europe. This video teaches children exactly what they should and shouldn’t do in risky situations”, says Frank Hoen, AMBER Alert Europe’s Founder and Chairman. “The last thing you want to do is scare them. You want to empower children and encourage them to trust their instincts. For example, to not just go somewhere with someone, even if they know the person. Self-reliance is key.”
The prevention campaign is shared in Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Netherlands, The Republic of Srpska, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Malta, and Austria. Watch the video in your language: