School Safety Starts with Identification

Keeping up with your kids can be difficult. Between school trips, after school functions, and activities, your kids are busy. You're busy too, and this is why HandBand can be an invaluable tool. Whether you're a parent or a teacher, this brightly-coloured band has several functions that improve school safety.

Help Prevent Missing Children

Trying to keep track of your kids or a group of children can be difficult. This is especially true if you're watching them in a crowded place. In Australia alone, people report around 20,000 children missing each year. The first 48 hours after a child goes missing are the most critical.

When children are afraid, it can be hard for them to remember things like contact information. This can delay the rescue process even further. However, having visual identification is key. A brightly coloured wristband with contact information can make a world of difference.

Keep Your Child Safe in the Water

Swimming is an excellent way to withstand the hot summers in Australia. Is your child part of a group that goes swimming? If they are, are they a competent swimmer? Schools and public pools can benefit from having an identification system for each of their swimmers. You could have a tiered system. One colour could be for competent swimmers. Another colour could be for swimmers who need closer supervision.

This system could help keep your kids safe when they swim and improve school safety outcomes. As a result, the lifeguards can tell at a glance where your child can swim and where they can't swim. For teachers who keep track of a large group of children, a bright waterproof visual aid can help. It's extremely important because, in 2017 in Australia, over 291 people drowned. Of these 291 people, 25% of them were swimming or engaging in recreational activities.

Out of School Hours Care (OSHC)

Over 12% of school-aged kids participate in before or after school hours care. Does your child go to one of these groups? Are you a teacher that has a group of children that you watch during out-of-school hours care? If so, the last thing you want to worry about is losing a child at an Out of Schools Hours Care (OSHC) programme.

When the kids play together, each class could have a specific colour bracelet. This bracelet could have the teacher's name, class number, and contact information. It gives peace of mind that comes with knowing that your child is safe. Even if they do wander off, the identification band can help to find them quickly and easily.

School Camps or Trips

School safety should not be relegated to the school grounds. For your child, going on a school trip or to a camp can be the highlight of their year. There can be hundreds of children on these trips or at these camps. While this is a great opportunity for your kid, it can also increase the chances of them disappearing. Even if it's a short trip or a day camp, the risk is there.

Having an identification system in place can help take some of the risks away. Each day camp, class or activity could have their own colour band. If they're brightly coloured, it's even easier to tell the groups apart and keep track of them. It's also something that won't slip off or break easily when your kid plays or does activities.

School Safety and Handband

HandBand is a durable wristband that comes in a variety of colours and sizes. You can choose from fabric, silicone or tyvek materials. The silicone is hypoallergenic and safe to wear for long periods. This means it won't irritate your child's skin or cause breakouts. However, you still want to watch it for possible reactions.

Fabric is a durable choice that won't cause breakouts either. Also, it's waterproof and it can survive day to day activities. Tyvek is great for day camps or shorter wear because it is like plastic paper.

You can fully customise your HandBand order to suit your needs. They come in dozens of bright and fun colours and styles that make it easy to specify certain groups of children. Additionally, you get to choose what goes on the bands. Important information to put on the bands include:

• Group or Class Number
• Teacher or Supervisor Name
• Phone Number and Contact Information

Also, if you put it on your child and they go missing, a HandBand can help when someone finds them. You want information like the parent's name, home and work numbers and their address. This key information will help the person who finds them get in touch with the parents faster. And of course, handband wristbands should be used in conjunction with other school safety measures to ensure you cover and exceed all safety outcomes.

Additionally, the customisation options are endless. HandBands are available in bulk orders as well. You can reuse them again and again for a variety of identification purposes. Is bullying an issue in your school? If so, read Handband's blog in support of Action Against Bullying.

If you're interested in learning more about HandBand, contact us or call 1300 368 980. We're happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have