Child Safe Shopping this Half Term

02/06/08

Press Release
23 May 2008

A scheme to give parents peace of mind whilst shopping has been rolled out across Birmingham city centre in time for the half term holidays.

The Child Safe project aims to reunite lost children with their parents as quickly as possible.  Shoppers simply pick up a free wristband for their child to wear, and write their contact number in the space provided.  There is an emergency contact number - 08702 116 999 - for parents to call should they become separated, connecting to the nearest control centre where they last saw their child, who will assist in reuniting them.  Children can also approach any business with the window sticker or any Street Warden or member of the police to inform them they are lost.

Birmingham was the first city in the UK to adopt the scheme across the entire city centre area, almost 2 years ago. The scheme, now funded by Retail Birmingham, is still developing as it aims to link in with local schools.

Alan Chatham, Chair of Retail Birmingham said:  “Birmingham offers a very safe shopping environment and with measures in place such as the Street Wardens team members of the public are put at ease. 

“The Child Safe scheme is another example of this and we hope as many people as possible will make use of the free wristbands being distributed.  Birmingham is leading the way in this field and other big UK cities including Manchester and Liverpool are looking at us as an example of best practice.”

Free information leaflets and wristbands are available from a variety of outlets in the city centre including The Mailbox, Bullring, Pallasades, Centre for the Child (Central Library), Sea Life Centre, WH Smiths, and Thinktank at Millennium Point.

The city centre Street Warden team also carry wristbands and are available for advice and further information.  In the past 12 months alone they have helped reunite 42 lost children with their parents.

Retail Birmingham and the Street Wardens will be distributing information on the scheme on Friday 30th May from 1.30pm - 4.30pm at the Kiosk on High Street.

The scheme is supported by Birmingham City Centre Partnership, Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Police and the Retail Crime Operation.

 For further information around the Child Safe scheme visit www.birmingham.gov.uk/childsafe or call Retail Birmingham on 0121 616 2370.

ENDS