Talk to your kids about safety, child protection group says after abduction attempts in 3 cities

A Canadian child protection group is urging parents to teach their kids about safety strategies after attempted child abductions in three cities in two days.

"As they gain some independence, they need to understand that there are risks, and we don't want to scare them," Christy Dzikowicz, director of missing children's services at the Canadian Centre for Child Protection in Winnipeg, told CBC News.

"We want them to feel confident that if for any reason they feel uncomfortable, they know how to manage that situation, they know how to address it."

On Aug. 11 and Aug. 12,abduction attempts took place in Thompson, Man., Prince George, B.C. and Edmonton, Alta.In the Prince George case, a man has been accused of attempting to abduct two children including a boy who was with his mother within several minutes of each other.

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Dzikowiczsaid child abductions are relatively uncommon in Canada dozens of cases a year as opposed to the hundreds some assume happen but they're more common in the summer monthswhen children are out and about.

"I think the reality is these are terrifying incidents,"she said. "You know, we know these things are rare, but unfortunately, when they are successful they can be absolutely tragic."

Safety should be a daily conversation

The centre advises parents to supervise their children and others in age-appropriate ways and teach them the buddy system as they get more independent.

"While it may sound extremely simple, it's because it is," Dzikowicz said. " When we're talking about young kids who are may be having their first taste of freedom going to the park with their friends, they need to stick together. There's safety in numbers and we know that."

The buddy system applies for older teens, too, she added, but you don't have to call it that if the name gets an eye-roll.

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Individual families should use whatever additional techniques work for them, she said. The key is talking about those strategies and safety in general on a regular basis.

"It's not a one-off reminder. There's nothing you can tell your child that they'll learn the first time. If there is, tell me how you've done that because it doesn't work for me," she said. "Safety and thinking about safety and planning their day is something that should be part of daily conversation, not sort of a one-off when you've heard about something bad that's happened."