Security safety- our top tips!

We all like to think we are keeping ourselves as safe as possible whether we are at home, travelling abroad, with our family, children or alone. Most of us would believe that we make safe choices about our daily conduct but is there anything else you can do to ensure that those youngsters in our care (and yourselves) are kept as safe as possible whilst still enjoying your surrounding environment and lives?

Whether you lead a high profile lifestyle or not, safety is paramount and there are certain aspects that you can incorporate into your lives to make safety risks that little less apparent. Of course these alone will not make safety risks obsolete but they should give you peace of mind that you are doing what you can in this fast paced, media filled world.

Safety at home

First we’ll look at safety within your private family home/residence. As the English proverb goes ‘our home is our castle’ and therefore we like to feel safe, knowing we are free to relax and enjoy our own personal surroundings.

Tips for home safety:

• Have security systems installed in your home. This will be personally tailored to your individual needs and could be linked to police/security firms.
• Be aware of social media and what you post. Opportunists might be looking out for specific targets by trying to find out where they are or where they live. Keep your security settings as tight as you can. This also involves being aware what sites children are accessing, use parental controls and keep an eye on what websites they are using.
• Always check identification of home visitors (if you don’t know them) to ensure they are who they say they are.
• Have a back up route out of the house in the case of an intruder; do not attempt to approach them.
• Have pre arranged security plans in place for yourselves and children. If necessary and require it, also have this in place when out and about. It’s useful to note that some nannies and personal staff are trained in protective combat, if this is required.

Safety when travelling abroad

When you travel abroad you might find it more difficult than at home to feel safe, as the surroundings may be unfamiliar. The main part to remember is to check before hand where you are going, let people know where you are and have adequate insurance (medical and person) before your trip starts.

Top tips for travelling:

• Keep loose money to a minimum and consider having a couple of accounts for back up if you were to loose or have something stolen.
• Look beforehand where you are travelling to and be prepared for transferring and being in a location that you may not know well.
• Always pack your own bags and be aware not to leave them anywhere unattended at any time. It can be wise to pack different family items across a few bags in the case a suitcase is lost or delayed.
• Make sure children are with you at all times and are never left alone day or night. Hire a babysitter from the hotel or travel company or perhaps take a personal nanny with you if this is within your family requirements.
• Be aware of airport security and prepare beforehand to ensure a smooth process
• Keep personal and items of any value locked away in a safety security box when leaving the hotel/ residence.
• Remember to pack adequate clothing and items for weather protection.
• Check and re-check before departure to ensure you have all necessary documents.

Top tips for personal safety whether at home or abroad:

• Be aware of your surroundings, look and listen when you are out and about and be particularly mindful in busy and populated areas.
• You may choose to hire a member of staff who is trained in personal safety issues if you see this fit
• Be aware of social media security issues surrounding what you posts you make about items you own and the lifestyle you lead. This is not limited to your personal accounts but also to the accounts of others who share your life as well.
• Ensure that you keep all personal accounts security details up to date and be mindful that some people are able to hack others’ accounts.
• Don’t show expensive items or carry a huge amount of money on your person, as this could attract the wrong kind of attention.
• Teach children about person safety so that they too can be as aware as possible when our and about, crossing roads, their personal accounts and items.
• If you hire professional staff in your home, it is wise to draw up a contract that protects confidentiality of all concerned.
• Be vigilant when walking alone during night hours and down unlit and obscured areas.

All in all most of us go about our daily lives without ever encountering safety risks but it is always wise to bare in mind what you can be doing to ensure that you keep as safe as you possibly can!