| Forwarded from our friends at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children… | ||||
| Innovative & Model Programs for Children with Special Needs & Wandering |  |
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| The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children would like to share innovative and model programs to help communities increase awareness about the issue of children with special needs and wandering, enabling them to better address these problems in communities. We hope you will complete the brief survey at the end of the page about these programs. | ||
| Autism & Wandering PSA | ||
| This quarter NCMEC launched a public service announcement (PSA) featuring Holly Robinson-Peete, http://www.missingkids.com/awaare. The PSA focuses on bystanders getting involved if they see a child in a situation that could put them at risk. According to the CDC , 1 out of 68 children has been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder. According to the National Autism Association, nearly half of these children engage in wandering behavior, with drowning being the leading cause of death. |
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| AWAARE |
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| The Autism Wandering and Elopement Initiative is a working group of six national non-profit autism organizations whose mission is to prevent autism-related wandering incidents and deaths. |
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| Additional Information & Resources | ||
| The National Autism Association released a compelling video on the issue of wandering.
Autism Speaks reported a story of a bystander rescuing a 4-year old child who wandered near a busy intersection. American Academy of Pediatrics published a wandering/elopement brochure with great tips and information. |
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Tell us what you think–Take the survey!  |
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While NCMEC does not, as a matter of policy, provide reviews of unsolicited materials, we do appreciate knowing about educational materials that are available to families. And, in our role as the clearinghouse federally mandated by the U.S. Congress to assist families and law enforcement in cases of missing and exploited children and having a 30-year history in safety-education, each quarter, we are happy to share with you Innovative & Model Programs to help individuals and communities learn about issues and resources regarding missing and exploited children and how to address those issues in their respective communities.
