Safe scheme launched by GMP

Greater Manchester Police is helping to launch a new scheme that aims to help children if they get lost or feel unsafe.

The 'safer strangers, safer buildings' campaign, launched at the House of Commons last month, will offer guidance and support to help youngsters aged between three and eight to recognise safe adults to approach and, equally importantly, which buildings to go into for help.

The initiative is designed for children who get lost or feel unsafe. It gives youngsters commonsense guidance and support, to help them recognise safe adults to approach and, equally importantly, the kinds of buildings to go into to ask for help.

The campaign features a film, produced by children's documentary experts Childs Eye Media, that will help the very young to understand the straightforward message of the campaign. The film was shot with officers from Greater Manchester Police and features PC Helena Hodgson, exploring the initiative with a group of children at a local school. It has already been piloted in the North West and backed by charities in the field of child safety.

PC Helena Hodgson said, "This new campaign has been presented in a way that captivates young children and, most importantly, teaches them what to do in emergency situations and how to stay safe. The information is provided in a positive way so that it does not frighten the child and the end result is that the child feels more able to deal with varied situations."