The Identikidz project, aimed at promoting child safety at Cape Town beaches, has grown to be trusted by thousands of parents and caregivers as an additional layer of protection while enjoying a day at the beach.
Last year, more than 90 000 children at participating beaches were tagged and the project helped reunite nearly 400 children with their caregivers over the holiday season and will be deployed again for the peak festive season in mid-December.
On arrival at the beach, caregivers can get their children registered and kitted out with a wristband containing relevant contact details. If a child gets separated from their family, responders can use the contact information to reunite them.
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The project was first introduced in 2016 and rolled out at beaches that were ‘identified by the City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre (DRMC) as high-traffic areas, and where the programme would add the most value.’
The Identikidz project will be implemented at Big Bay, Camps Bay, Gordon’s Bay, Harmony Park, Fish Hoek, Lagoon Beach, Melkbosstrand, Milnerton Beach, Mnandi, Monwabisi, Muizenberg, Sea Point and surrounding areas, Silwerstroom, Strandfontein and Strand on the below dates:
- 15 – 17 December
- 23 – 26 December
- 30 – 31 December
- 1 January
- 6 – 7 January
- 13 – 14 January
- 20 – 21 January
How Identikidz works:
A registration kiosk, manned by the City’s Social Development & Early Childhood Development (SD&ECD) Department, will be situated at the main entrance of the beach.
Staff will also roam the beach, encouraging parents to make their way to the registration desk if they have not done so already.
Each child that is registered receives a waterproof wristband containing a unique number. That number is recorded next to the details of the children (their caregiver’s name, address and contact number) on a registration sheet.
If a child’s family cannot be contacted via phone, a broadcast is done via the beach loudhailers.
If, by the end of the Identikidz shift, the child has still not been claimed, social workers from the Provincial Department of Social Development are activated to complete the track and trace of parents and primary caregivers.
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Picture: Alderman JP Smith / Facebook