Safety first for families at Poole Town Centre 

Poole Town Centre is a family friendly and safe place to visit shop and have fun.

However, losing a child, even for a few moments can be very distressing and our Child Safe Zones Shopping scheme can help reassure and get help fast.
Look out for the bright orange balloon window stickers - these carry our helpline number: 08700 46 53 96



If you lose a child or need to report an incident look for the nearest sticker and ring this number. The call will be answered by The Borough of Poole Operations Centre (BOC), a 24-hour, manned CCTV control and monitoring room facility. You’ll need to give the time and location the child went missing and the name and brife description of the child. This will enable the BOC CCTV camera operators to look out for the child and also put out an ‘all user’ call to the Towns Retail and Licensed premisses Radiolink network. It is hopped that this ability to get the message out so quickly to such a wide audience will enable any seperated children to reunited swiftly and safely with their parents.


Mums & Dads!

Teach your child, that if they are ever separated from mum, dad or guardian, not to panic: but to look for the nearest window sticker, from where they can either look for a security guard, or a mum with children and ask her to ring the number, or go into the shop.

Also make sure teenagers know they can also use the number, should they need help.

Free Wristbands

A mobile number on a wristband is the simplest and quickest way to help a lost child.

On entering Poole Town Centre a wristband can be collected from: (some) Car Parks, The Tourist Information Centre at the Quay Or the Dolphin Shopping Centre Information Desk. 




These wristbands are bright, waterproof and tough so as well as shopping they are ideal for other days out or journeys into busy towns and cities.

Child Safety Tips

It’s easy for children to get distracted in busy places. Most children are reunited very quickly, but a child is vulnerable while lost so it’s important to teach a child what to do.

If you are lost……….
· Stop, stand still and look, don’t run about.
· If you see the person you were with, go to them and hold their hand.
· If lost in a shop, go to the nearest till point and talk to a shop assistant. Most shop assistants will wear uniforms or badges.
· If in the centre, look for nearest bright window sticker, and then look for a security guard or a mum with children and ask her to ring the number, or ask for help in the shop.
· Don’t go up to anyone else.

…but the best way to help a lost child is to try and prevent it happening In the first place:

· Encourage children to stay close to you.
· Use reins or wrist links.
· Don’t leave a child in an unsupervised play area.
· Write a contact number on a wristband or tag.
· Carry an up to date photograph.
· Make a note of what the child is wearing.