16/08/2026
Over the past week, the Neighbourhood Policing Team have attended multiple jobs where we have been called out to found children who had become separated from their parents. These incidents happened in the City Centre and during the firework display on The Hoe.
Thankfully, on all occasions, we were able to reunite the children safely.
It's a good reminder, particularly during the summer holidays and when visiting places, of how quickly a child can become separated from you.
A few simple steps can help to keep children safe:
🧒 Talk to your child about what to do if they become lost or separated from you.
📱 Make sure they know your name and how to contact you. Multiple children this week have not known their parents names.
📍 Agree a meeting point when visiting busy places such as town centres, parks or events.
👀 Keep an eye on younger children, particularly in crowded areas or even better... hold their hands!
👮 Point out people who can help, such as police officers, security staff or venue workers.
Please call 999 as soon as you realise your child is lost. On two incidents this week, this did not happen and officers could not locate parents for over an hour.
Thankfully, our recent incidents had happy endings - but a little preparation can make a big difference.
