www.MadeleinesLaw.com - New website seeks to raise 1 Million signatures to turn new Child Safety measures into Law

A new website has been launched calling for changes to the law to allow for greater supports, resources and information to raise awareness about child safety, especially when travelling abroad with children, and specifically to support the families of missing children.

The recent case of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann was the impetus for the campaign (although the website is not associated/affiliated to the official Madeleine McCann website or endorsed by the McCann family) following the overwhelming the outpouring of support from the general public in relation to the issues of child safety and missing children.

The campaign, and website, launched on Thursday 15th November 2007 is calling for the implementation of new Child Safety Measures, and is asking the general public to sign an online petition at www.MadeleinesLaw.com seeking to enact these measures into Law. Robert Lynch, one of the people behind the website, is quoted as saying “Through this website we hope to raise 1 Million Signatures which can be presented to Prime Minister Gordon Brown as a concrete reflection of peoples genuine concerns about child safety and the need for more proactive measures.”

In addition to asking people to sign the petition, it is also asking people to individually e-mail Prime Minister Gordon Brown and their local MP asking for their support – which can be done on through links on the website. Lynch went on to say “We believe that this is an issue which deeply concerns all parents and families & an opportunity for individual people s to make a difference and to directly influence politicians and government policy.”

The website outlines a number of practical suggestions and recommendations which can be implemented locally and nationally. While not claiming that these are the perfect solutions... or the only solutions, but does suggest that they can start the process of informed discussion and debate culminating in action to improve things.

Robert Lynch went on to say “The disappearance of a child is devastating experience for any family. It is the responsibility of the Government and the authorities to make every effort possible to provide information to prevent this occurring, and to support families should it occur.”

The campaign has 7 Key Recommendations which it is asking the Government to make law:

1. The Government must develop and put in place a NATIONAL INFORMATION CAMPAIGN aimed at informing parents about child safety - at home & abroad.

2. The Government must actively PROMOTE THESE CAMPAIGNS at key times in the year such as Christmas, Easter and School Holidays (when children are more likely to travel abroad on holiday).

3. The Government must actively PUBLICISE THESE CAMPAIGNS and other information throughout the year through key locations such as Schools, Police Stations, Libraries, Citizens Advice Bureau’s, Post Offices and Doctors Surgeries.

4. The Government must establish a FUND TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT the parents of a missing child (where necessary) with costs such as travel, accommodation and other essential expenses during the search for the missing child. This should also include translation and interpretation costs if the child is missing in a non-English speaking country.

5. The Government must CHANGE EMPLOYMENT LAWS to allow for a statutory period of paid leave, and a further period of unpaid leave, from employment for the parents of a missing child.

6. The Government must fully integrate and support the existing CHILD RESCUE ALERT system with additional measures to advise and inform the general public when a child goes missing. This system should be developed in conjunction with a EUROPE-WIDE ALERT SYSTEM.

7. The Government must support the establishment of specialist NATIONAL & REGIONAL CHILD ABDUCTION RESPONSE TEAMS (CART) to help in the search for a missing child. Where a child is missing outside of Britain these specialist teams could also provide assistance and expertise to police forces in that country. CART teams are established in the USA and have been successful.

Contact Information

Derek Cole

web contributor

Madeleines Law

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