Find the Children
To All DCFS Social Workers and Staff:
Find The Children offers free case management assistance to DCFS Social Workers and staff who are involved with cases where a child has been abducted or when there are circumstances where an abduction may take place.
For over 30 years, Find The Children has been working with searching families and have approximately 100 volunteers who distribute flyers, monthly, of missing children. The flyers feature photographs and vital information about each child’s case.
We encourage you to visit our website at: findthechildren.com to view all of our missing children cases. Since one out of seven children is found through someone seeing their photograph and reporting it to law enforcement; it is important for us to keep missing children’s photographs in the public.
The CSW should contact the Child Abduction Liaisons to inform them that a child has been recovered; and the CAL will forward the recovery referral to Find The Children. This process is for all children who have been taken from a parent’s home, a foster home, or from a relative of placement. We will be happy to assist you in any way we can, and remember, all of our services are free. Please feel welcome to contact me with any questions, including information on prevention.
Sincerely,
Rora Jones
Executive Director
http://findthechildren.com/
Find the Children is a non-profit agency dedicated to the recovery of missing children and the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Founded in 1983 by television producer Linda Otto, the organization assists families whose children have been victims of family or stranger abduction. The trauma a child experiences during these events can be severe and long lasting. Find the Children is the coordinating agency for the Child Abduction Task Force which provides free reunification counseling for children and their families.
Find the Children reaches out to the community to provide programming for parents and children, to prevent child abduction and to promote child safety. Programming is offered through schools, recreation centers and hospitals.
If you suspect that a child bas been abducted, call:
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678
or Find the Children at 888-477-6721.
Find the Children's major objectives are
- To work closely and in cooperation with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
- To locate missing children by assisting local and federal law enforcement, while supporting and advising the searching family.
- To promote child safety and good parenting through community programming.
- To increase the awareness of the public and the media on the missing child issue.
- To support legislation providing positive action to ensure our children's safety.
Our services include
- Case management of family and non-family abductions.
- Flyer and photo distribution.
- Prevention and education materials and programming.
- Post recovery and reunification services.
- Website and computerized database of missing children.
Child Safety Information
1. Teach your children the facts of abduction early. If handled matter-of-factly and calmly as another coping skill, children need not be frightened.
2. Have your children fingerprinted. Maintain current dental records. Have current photos of your children. For children under seven, photos should be taken twice a year. Children over seven should have their photos taken on an annual basis. Videotape your children.
3. Obtain passports so your children cannot be taken out of the country without your permission.
4. Teach your children their full names, addresses and phone numbers, including area code and long–distance dialing information. Post emergency numbers near the phone and show children how to dial 911. They should also know what to say to an operator if they are lost or have an emergency.
5. Never put your child’s name on any article of clothing, lunch box, backpack, or other visible area. A stranger should never be able to call your child by name.
6. Be cautious when choosing daycare facilities, preschools or babysitters. Check references. Make sure they will release your child to no one but you without prior permission.
7. Instruct babysitters of children left at home never to open the door to strangers and never to volunteer information over the phone. They should say that you are home, but are unable to come to the phone.
8. Instruct your children what to do if threatened by a stranger, and to report any suspicious incidents to you. Tell your children never to get near a stranger's car, give someone directions or help look for a missing or lost pet if asked to by someone they don't know.
9. Never leave children unattended in a car, even for a minute.
10. If your children are old enough to be out on their own, encourage them to use the "buddy system" and to avoid empty lots, fields and parks. Know the route your children take to and from school. Have your children check in with you at a specified time if you will not be home when they arrive.
Find The Children
2656 29th Street Suite 203
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Phone: 310/314-3213
or 888/477-6721
Fax: 310/314-3169
