Parents horrified as 1 in 5 reveal their child has been approached by a stranger – but would you use a kid tracking app?
NEARLY one in five parents claim their child has had a stranger approach them, according to research.
A study of 2,000 mums and dads found 18 per cent have their child tell them about an occasion where a stranger came up to them.
Of those, 31 per cent of parents told police about the incident, while 45 per cent reported the issue to other authorities such as the local schools.
However, 34 per cent believe schools and other organisations are not well enough equipped to handle the concerns raised.
The research, commissioned by Find My Kids, also found 69 per cent of parents feel youngsters should be taught about ‘stranger danger’ before their fifth birthday.
But 12 per cent think toddlers should know the dangers by the age of three.
Despite this, while 88 per cent have had a conversation about the dangers of speaking to strangers, 32 per cent fear scaring their child when discussing the topic.
While 19 per cent avoid the subject as they feel a lack of knowledge on the matter.
It also emerged parents consider the 1980s to be the safest era to be a child, with 18 per cent voting for the decade – but just five per cent opted for the 2020s.
But despite the 1980s being seen as the safest decade, many look to modern technology for help, with 57 per cent providing their child with a phone for constant contact.
And 41 per cent of those polled, via OnePoll, would use a tracking app to know their child’s whereabouts at all times.
Vadikh Giniatulin, CEO of Find My Kids, said: “Ensuring your child is safe is the top priority for any parent, and this research shows the urgency we want to educate our children on the dangers.
“While the 1980s is perceived to be the safest era to be a child, the technological advancements in 2023 means parents can monitor the whereabouts of their child safely, accurately, and without worrying the child.
“Four million parents worldwide have downloaded the Find My Kids app, which has encrypted GPS technology, able to track their movements.”
“We’ve also developed the technology so parents can listen-in to their child’s location, should the child be in distress.
“Listening to the child’s environment allows a parent to make the right assessment of the situation quickly and interfere on time should there be such a need.”