Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween Safety Tips

As hordes of children, or ghouls, vampires, zombies or whatever the case may be, prepare to head out onto the streets this Halloween, the NSW Police have provided some advice on ensuring children remain safe.

NSW Police Corporate Sponsor for Crime Prevention, Chief Superintendent Brad Shepherd, said with more and more children celebrating Halloween in New South Wales it is a timely reminder to provide everyone with some simple guidelines to ensure ‘trick or treating’ activities are done safely.

“Younger children should always be supervised by a parent, carer or responsible adult at all times.”

“It is important to recognise that not everyone celebrates Halloween each year — so it is best to stick to houses with decorations on their properties.”

Police will not tolerate damage to property.

“While it is an exciting time for everyone, remember to be aware of your surroundings and take extra care when crossing roads and driveways,” Ch Supt Shepherd said.

“If you’re a parent or carer heading out to join in the ‘trick or treating’ fun, make sure your house is locked and secure.”

It’s also a good idea to drive with extra care around the neighbourhood, as there will be a lot of excited kids around the streets and they may forget to look out for cars and bikes. “

Halloween safety tips for big kids

  • Tell your parents or a responsible adult where you’re going and what time you’ll be home;
  • Be respectful of your neighbours;
  • Remain in familiar well-lit areas in your neighbourhood and don’t take short cuts;
  • Be sure to stick to the footpaths and take extra care when crossing driveways or roads;
  • Stay with your friends at all times and carry a mobile phone when ‘trick or treating’ in case of emergency;
  • If you’re riding a bike or using a skateboard, ensure you’re wearing a helmet;
  • Under no circumstances should you get into a vehicle with someone you don’t know; and,
  • Don’t ever enter a stranger’s home, even if they invite you inside.”
A reminder on Useful Phone Numbers:

Tweed Heads Police Station:  07 5506 9499

Police Assistance Line:  131 444

Crime Stoppers:  1800 333 000

In the event of an emergency or life-threatening situation, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.

Information Kiosk at Tweed City Shopping Centre — Great Success

Information Kiosk at Tweed City Shopping Centre — Great Success

tweed_city_informationkiosk_20140621Last Saturday, 21 June 2014, Tweed Valley Neighbourhood Watch groups carried out an Information Day Kiosk at Tweed City Shopping Centre.

A lot of interest was shown by the public and several NHW volunteers were on hand to talk to to the shoppers, hand out safety tip brochures and discuss with passer-bys how best to protect themselves, their homes and their local neighbourhoods.

Neighbourhood Watch Australasia kindly provided UV Security marking Pens for people to mark their valuables, caps, informational brochures and other safety material which were all very popular on the day.

The day was a great success and we are planning another Information Day Kiosk soon.

Special thanks to Tweed City Shopping Centre management for providing us the floor space to get the importance of safety and security out to the general public.

National Day of Action Against Bullying

National Day of Action Against Bullying

Headspace Anti-Bullying Day Info Graphic

Headspace Anti-Bullying Day Info Graphic

Cyberbullying can be an upsetting experience. Check out the infographic from our friends at headspace and have a look at the ThinkUKnow website (https://www.thinkuknow.org.au/kids/helpcyber.asp) for info on what to do if you are bullied online.

What does the law have to say?

Although bullying is not a specific criminal offence in Australian law, criminal and civil laws can apply in terms of, for example, harassment or threatening behaviour, and particularly relevant for cyberbullying – threatening and menacing communications.

Who should I talk to?

Tell an adult you trust about the cyberbullying. This could be a parent or carer, a teacher at your school, an aunt or uncle. If you tell someone they can help make it stop. The records you have saved can then be passed onto the adult you have told.
You should also talk to someone if you’ve been cyberbullying others as well. Chance are, you’re dealing with some heavy stuff and that might explain why you are tempted to cyberbully or can’t help cyberbullying others. You need help and support too!
If you feel you can’t talk to someone in person just yet, call Lifeline (13 11 14) or Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800). For more information and advice you can visit these sites: