Does a scheme like this already exist? If not what do parents think?

Question

I've just come back from Manchester. Whilst I was there, I practically lived in the Trafford Centre. Twice I found very young children (2 or 3 years old) distraught because they'd become divorced from their parents. Now, it's true I could be anyone - you only believe I'm a woman because I tell you - but they were a long way from the InfoPoint, and then the woman had a very hard time describing what they were wearing.

So I've invented a scheme called KIDS (Kids ID Scheme). The basic idea is this: - when you arrive at the shopping centre/theme park/leisure centre/wherever, you take your child(ren) to the main info desk where they're registered and given a coloured band (a bit like a hospital bracelet). The colour corresponds to one of between 4 & 6 'zones'. On the bracelet is written the child's name, the parent(s)/guardian(s) name(s) and a contact number. The details are recorded on a corresponding coloured list, which is given to a member of staff who 'mans' the relevant zone.

Answer 1

The Trafford Centre has a scheme like this is place already. Your child is given a band with your contact details (mobile number). They also have designated staff there who deal with lost children. The problem isn't the lacking of a scheme, its the childrens parents not watching their kids.

I live in Manchester and am in the Trafford Centre at least once a week and i never take my eyes off my kids. My youngestis only 6 months so she is in her buggy but i don't let go of it and wander off and my eldest is 4 and she is holding my hand constantly. It is so busy in there you have to keep hold of them at all time because they could be gone in a flash.

Answer 2

Aileen made a good point there. It would not be hard to have some hired to stay at the exits of a mall or park including the use of cameras too so no one can sneak out; but matching the bracelets to the parents is a terrific idea if both parent and child registered together at a certain spot when the enter the mall or park. And it should be mandatory for the park to take the time to hand out coloured bracelets that can be matched to the parents bracelets along with infor that is taken and kept at the front desk or in the computers. I think it would be all worth the effort if it prevented even one child from being kidnapped.

I think you have a wonderful idea and here in Canada or at least Ontario there are no parks or malls I have seen that have a system such as so. Good work and remember than you will not have a perfect plan...someone will always find ways to break the rules but you certainly have impressed me with your ambition.

Good luck and let me know if you take flight with this project. I would be very interested to hear about your journey to success. :)

Always SMILE.

Answer 3

Having "lost" a child in Blackpool Tower building several years ago I think this is a good idea. It just needs shopping centres/ theme parks, etc to accept it without charging over the odds for the service - they would have to pay members of staff to man the different zones, but they need to weigh the cost against the goodwill they would gain from parents/guardians. Good luck with your marketing.

Answer 4

Programs like this do exist in some theme parks and festivals (In Canada at least)  It's a great idea!  The only thing I'd suggest is to make it a sticker that can be placed on the inside of a child's shirt or jacket.  Having all that info out in the open can lead to more problems than it solves should the info fall into the wrong hands.

Answer 5

Really good idea. My nearest town centre could do with something similar to this

Answer 6

the idea in general is a good one.not so sure about all the deatails on the band for anyone to read though maybe a number which corresponds with details held at the zone

Answer 7

Would be pointless in the event of kidnapping. Got scissors?

Answer 8

For a small child not a good idea.  You have their name clearly written on their wrist.  Anyone could snatch them, call them by their name, cut the band off.

Answer 9

This is not a new idea.  It's been done.  By the way..the word scheme is negative.

Answer 10

At the very least, this would give young children a voice if they are lost/separated from their parents in a large shopping mall.  It may very well be a good idea to have the child "registered" so that they can be easily identified if they do become lost.  Some thoughts:

- photo id may want to be added to document the clothing a child is wearing, in case they do get lost

- how are you going to make sure that each child who enters is 'registered', or will it be an optional thing?

- Have a parent with a matching bracelet to the child's

- Usually only the responsible parent who takes the time to come to the stand will register their child, unless it is made mandatory (and the responsible parent is typically not the one who loses the child... it is the ones who are more interested in shopping than paying attention to their child), so checkstands may need to be at all entrances to register families.

- There will have to be a guard at each exit who will make sure that all children have a corresponding bracelet to the person who is taking them out (to prevent a child being taken by someone other than their family)

Good idea... too many kids get lost/separated from their families and the family has no recourse to make sure that they are not removed from the facility.  Too often, parents are not aware of the movements of their children, and it would be very scary to lose my child in a large place with lots of people around.  It would be nice to have something like this in places with lots of people.

Answer 11

It is a really good idea, but there are a lot of opportunists out there who would see the child wondering along and take them by the hand.

There are a lot of good, honest people out there, but there are also some very bad.

It would be good if there were guards at exits checking that the children's band matched the adults......or are we just verging on the ridiculous here!!!!!