As children and young people in Harrow prepare to head back to school next week, local police have issued a reminder about the importance of personal safety.
PCSO Hannah Green, who covers the Wealdstone area, shared several key tips via the OWL website aimed at helping students stay safe and avoid becoming victims of crime.
PCSO Green encourages parents and guardians to have a conversation with their children about how they can look after themselves and their belongings while traveling to and from school.
With the start of the new term, it’s essential that students are aware of potential risks and know how to respond if they feel unsafe.
Key Safety Tips for Students:
• Avoid Traveling Alone: Establish the safest route to school or the bus stop and encourage children to stick to it, avoiding shortcuts. They should always walk on the sidewalk or away from the roadway and avoid talking to strangers. If they ride a bike or scooter, wearing a properly fitted helmet is crucial.
• Pay Attention to Surroundings: Students should be alert to their surroundings at all times. If they feel like they are being followed, they should head to the nearest place of safety, such as a shop or library, or return to school if possible.
If that’s not an option, they should keep walking and call 999 on their mobile phone, providing police with their exact location.
• Personal Property: Encourage children to keep their devices put away while walking to school. Although many young people have smartphones and other digital items, their use should be minimised in public.
These items should be kept in bags or pockets rather than being carried in hand. Bicycles and e-scooters, which are often targeted by thieves, should be properly marked and securely locked when not in use. It’s also important to remember that e-scooters are currently only legal to use on private property.
For those continuing to learn from home, PCSO Green also highlighted the importance of staying safe online, directing parents and students to CEOP Education resources for more information.
These simple precautions can go a long way in ensuring that Harrow’s students have a safe and successful school year ahead.
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
Harrow Online reaches hundreds of thousands of readers each month and has a social media audience of more than 200,000 followers.
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