Please find our policy below if a child is brought to security by a member of the public or a tenant:
- Security to call other members of staff on closed frequency radio system to inform them that you have a child with you, state your location, and sex (blue or Pink) of child. (CCTV will zoom into your location and stay with you at all times)
- Ascertain child’s age, clothing description and if possible name of parent / guardian and an address or telephone number of parent or guardian.
- Inform town CCTV and Police that you have a child with you.
- Stay with child in a prominent location within the centre and allow other staff to look for parents / guardian.
- Ask child where was the last place they saw their parent / guardian and a description of the parent / guardian. Direct staff to that location.
- If someone arrives to claim the child, ask them to tell you the child’s name and age. Ask them to provide identification and make a note of their name and address (preferably a drivers licence or similar with a picture ID if possible)
- Ask the child if they know the person claiming to be their parent / guardian etc.
- Make a note of the time, date and description of person claiming the child.
- If at all unsure, wait for the police to arrive to help with checking the claimant’s details.
- Fill in the security incident log book.
If a parent / guardian inform you they have lost a child.
- Take parent / guardian’s details, name, age, sex and description of child and last known location.
- Make a note of child’s / parent / guardian’s address and if they are on holiday – if so where are they staying and would the child know where they were staying. Ask if they have a car, where is it parked and would the child know where it was parked.
- Inform CCTV control, other centre staff members and police. (Do not put child’s name or age etc out over the radio or tanoy system)
- Stay with the parent or guardian in a prominent location within the centre and allow other staff to come to you.
- When the child is reunited with the Parent / guardian, follow the same steps as above.
Reviewed March 2017
