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Safe Child Scheme

On Tuesday 26th August between 10am and 3pm the Police, Fire Service, Age Concern and Charter Walk Shopping Centre, Burnley reminded visitors of how to stay safe in the environment. Charter Walk Shopping Centre took the opportunity to raise awareness of the Safe Child Scheme that operates within the town centre.

The Safe Child Scheme is designed to minimise danger and anxiety when children become separated from their families in busy shopping environments and to ensure that they are reunited as quickly as possible. ‘Goodie bags’ were handed out to all visitors with small children reassuring them that the Shopping Centre has a scheme in place to help them should they require assistance.

Marie Parrington, Deputy Centre Manager at Charter Walk says, “Burnley town centre already has numerous security staff, a radio security scheme, with around 100 people on alert during the day, as well a loudspeaker system to help with lost children. However, as everyone knows Burnley is an open shopping centre and that means it can still be quite difficult to quickly locate and reunite lost children with their parents. We don’t need more security or better CCTV as these are already in place and work extremely well together. When the scheme was initially launched in February 2005, it was felt that a more consistent approach was required, therefore through discussions with the NSPCC, we agreed that the Safe Child Scheme was the best way forward.”


PC Fran Pitman, Community Beat Manager for Burnley says, “This is an excellent scheme which ensures that both children and parents are educated in staying safe when out shopping. Being separated from your children is a very traumatic time, and it is encouraging to know that there are people on hand to help reunite you with your children”.

Young Jessica Boulin, 5, from Burnley is pictured with PC Fran Pitman and Deputy Centre Manager, Marie Parrington to raise awareness of the event.

Charter Walk continues to fund the Safe Child Scheme through promotional material explaining the scheme to parents, as well as encouraging the local schools to educate the youngsters on how to keep safe.

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