BALLYMENA MAN LEADS SEARCH FOR MISSING CHILDREN (N.IRE)

Ballymena Today

24 February 2009

Ballymena Man leads search for Missing Children


IT'S the situation every parent dreads - the moment when their child goes missing.
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What do you do first? Who do you contact? How exactly can you stop panic taking a complete hold?

It is believed that between 120,000 and 150,000 children go missing in the UK and Ireland every year but now, under a unique new scheme, every person in the province could be quickly and easily alerted when a child appears to have vanished into thin air.

It's being spearheaded in Northern Ireland by Ballymena man David Milligan through the web-based company, Missing Children TV.
Through the new localised system, David aims to create maximum awareness and support for families in the first crucial hours when a child is lost or goes missing.

By simply registering their mobile phone number for free on the website - www.missingchildrentv.org.uk - using the code CD99A, people can get details of the circumstances surrounding a child's disappearance, together with their description.

The hope is that if someone has seen the child, they will then be able to pass the information on to the PSNI immediately.
It works along similar lines to the Guard-A-Kid local Text Alert in the UK and Ireland which is partnered with the Guard-A-Kid Alert offered through Code Amber in the USA. Code Amber also administer the successful Amber Alert system which inspired the McCann's European campaign.

The Guard-A-Kid organisation has built its reputation by offering assistance to parents in the creation of secure digital Child ID that can be instantly transmitted to the authorities in the case an emergency.

Guard a Kid have supported Missing Children TV since its launch at New Scotland Yard By Electronic Health Media and supported by PACT (Parents and Abducted Children Together).

The new system aims to alert people through text messages on their mobile phones as soon as a child goes missing in their area but can only work if everyone takes a few minutes to register.
David says: "Every individual over 16 can register their mobile number free with us and they will be instantly alerted as soon as a child goes missing in their area.

"In circumstances, where there is no immediate evidence of a crime, or if a child has simply run away or got lost, we want to give that family every opportunity to have their child found within those very important first few hours. We want to see a community in Northern Ireland where every family supports each other."

He stressed that registration is straightforward and at no cost, taking only a couple of minutes to complete.

David added: "The only essential criteria we have is that the missing child has been reported to the PSNI and, if the police are agreeable and with the parents consent, we can text thousands of registered users across Northern Ireland so that everyone will be on alert and hopefully get the child recovered a lot sooner rather than later.
"Once registered with the service you can use it to help locate your child, should they go missing"

The campaign is supported by award winning child safety products available on the site.

For further information and to register to get Northern Ireland's new Guard-A-Kid Text Alert service up and going, log onto www.missingchildrentv.org.uk. To register for the text alert service it is essential to key in the code DC99A when prompted.