EYES OPEN APPROACH ENCOURAGED FOR CHILDREN AT RISK

Everyone in Aberdeen City should keep their Eyes Open for children at risk during the school holidays.

In the week that Aberdeen City’s schools sound the end of term bell, Child Protection Committees across Scotland are encouraging the public across the whole country to be extra observant to help protect potentially vulnerable children when school’s out for summer.

By taking an Eyes Open approach, Aberdeen City’s own child protection committee hope that members of the public will take a more active, watchful role when it comes to protecting children in the area and take action if they’re concerned for a child’s wellbeing.

“By keeping our eyes open and our other senses tuned in, we might spot the tell-tale signs that a child is at risk. These signs include seeing children wandering about at all times of day and night, children who are very dirty or unfed, unsupervised children going into “party” flats, or whose parents are drunk in charge of them. However, spotting the signs isn’t enough. If something doesn’t seem quite right for a child, or a family of children, it’s better to say something than do nothing.”

CPC Scotland Chair, Anne Houston

Anyone who has concerns about a child or children can ask the child if they’re okay, offer the family some support, or contact Aberdeen City’s social work service, or the police.