Abrahams Encourages Residents to Observe National Missing Children's Day May 25

Nassau County Legislator Kevan Abrahams (D-Hempstead) is encouraging residents to observe National Missing Children’s Day on May 25, and to follow a few simple safety tips to ensure the safety of their own children.

“Life’s greatest tragedy is the loss of a child, but by following a few simple steps and remaining vigilant against possible predators, we can keep our children happy and safe,” Abrahams said.

National Missing Children’s Day began in 1983 as an annual reminder to the nation to renew efforts to reunite missing children with their families and make child protection a national priority. National Missing Children’s Day is a reminder to all parents and guardians of the need for high-quality photographs of their children for use in case of an emergency, and for the need for everyone to pay close attention to the posters and photographs of missing children.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children offers these tips to help protect your children:

• Know where your children are at all times. Be familiar with their friends and daily activities.
• Be sensitive to changes in your children’s behavior; they are a signal you should sit down and talk to your children about what caused the changes.
• Be alert to a teenager or adult who is paying an unusual amount of attention to your children or giving them inappropriate or expensive gifts.
• Teach your children to trust their own feelings, and assure them they have the right to say no to what they sense is wrong.
• Listen carefully to your children’s fears, and be supportive in all your discussions with them.
• Teach your children that no one should approach or touch them in a way that makes them feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused. If someone does, they should immediately tell you.
• Be diligent about babysitters and any other individuals who have custody of your children. Obtain references from people you trust and see if you can access background screening information about these individuals. Many states provide access to sex-offender registries and criminal histories.