Who is Guard-A-Kid™?
Guard-A-Kid™ was formed in 2003 in Miami, Florida. After months of research and development, Guard-A-Kid™ unveiled its state-of-the-art Digital Child ID System in 2004. This new system provides a complete identification and safety package for children. According to law enforcement throughout the United States, a parent’s best assurance for the quick and safe recovery of a missing child is to have a complete profile of the child on hand. Guard-A-Kid™ has developed a simple yet comprehensive system that provides a complete identification for a child within minutes.
Why is child ID and child safety so important?
The FBI receives over 2000 missing children reports every day. A child in the United States becomes missing every 40 seconds. Statistics from the US justice department and the world Almanac puts the chance of any child becoming missing at 1 in 42. According to law enforcement throughout the United States, a parent’s best assurance for the quick and safe recovery of a missing child is to have a complete profile of the child on hand. The first hours after a child becomes missing is the most critical time for recovery. However it is also the time when the parents are in a panic mode and can not remember a detailed description of their child.
Why Guard-A-Kid™?
Guard-A-Kid™ provides a total and complete child ID and child safety package to each participating parent. Guard-A-Kid uses a state-of-the-art FBI quality digital fingerprint scanner to capture the child’s fingerprint images. A single ID card is not enough in finding a missing child. In many cases, missing children end up in other states. While others offer a single printed ID card, Guard-A-Kid™ provides the parents with two wallet-size printed IDs, a large file-size ID, and most importantly a CDROM that contains all of the child’s information in a digital format. The CDROM is extremely essential in transmitting the child’s information to other law enforcement agencies within the same city and also to agencies out of state. In fact, with Guard-A-Kid™, the full set of information from a missing child can be emailed to other agencies within seconds. The first hour after the child is reported missing is the most important time in recovering the child. The CDROM includes a file that contains all of the child’s information in the format that the police and the FBI prefer to see. Once the parent provides the CDROM to law enforcement and the law enforcement inserts it into their computer system, the child’s information is quickly formatted into their database and ready to be sent to other agencies worldwide.
According to law enforcement, it is essential to have full 10 fingerprints for accurate identification. While others offer a single card with only a thumb fAccording to law enforcement, it is essential to have full 10 fingerprints for accurate identification. While others offer a single card with only a thumb fingerprint, Guard-A-Kid’s digital fingerprint scanner captures the prints from all 10 fingers.
What does the Guard-A-Kid™ child ID package include?
Each child ID kit includes the following items:
1. Two laminated wallet-sized (driver’s license size) identification cards – each card includes a color photograph, right thumb fingerprint, critical and emergency data as well as parent awareness information (back of card). These cards are intended to be carried by each parent (or a caregiver) and present the police with information about the missing child immediately.
2. One large file-size identification sheet – The sheet contains images of all10 fingerprints, large color photo, and full demographic, critical and emergency data along with parent awareness information on the back. This sheet is stored in a safe place that is easily and quickly recoverable in the case of a missing child.
3. CDROM containing a digital image (.bmp files) of all 10 fingerprints, a digital image (.jpg file) of the color photo, a text file containing full demographic information and an FBI preferred (.EFT file) file that is specifically used by the law enforcement agencies. The CDROM data provides critical information to the police that are easily and quickly transmittable to other agencies.
4. A set of safety pamphlets that provide useful information about child safety and what parents should know to fight back.
5. The kit is delivered to parents in a professional customized envelope.
How can I have this program implemented in our school?
Implementing this program in any school is very simple! It starts with a visit from Mike and his associates to your school. You can contact us by clicking here. Your principal or the PTA chooses a date to have this program implemented in your school. The process is that simple!
How does the program work?
A date is chosen for this service by the principal or the PTA. Your local Guard-A-Kid™ Child Safety Specialist will then provide the school with parent sign-up flyers to be sent home with each child approximately one week prior to the set date. On the day of the event our Specialists capture the information (fingerprints, photo, data) from children who have signed up for this service. The kits are returned to school ready to be delivered to parents in one or two weeks.
Who pays for this service?
The parents who are interested in receiving a complete identification and safety kit for their child sign up and pay for this service. The money, usually in the form of cash or check is sent back to school with their child in the enclosed envelopes.
Can the Guard-A-Kid program be offered as a fundraiser or a sponsorship?
The answer is simply, yes. About $2.00 per child is donated back to the school from Guard-A-Kid of Maine. For sponsorship, organizations or businesses can have their name or logo on the I.D. kit. What a great way for a business or organization to show that they care about helping to protect the children in our community. Click here to contact us about sponsorship and fundrasing information.
How much do the parents pay for this service?
The parents pay $20 per child for each Guard-A-Kid™ child ID package. This is a very reasonable price considering the value of this package and the fact that it also provides them with information about their child in a digital format (CDROM) as well as the printed Ids.
Is the information captured from each child kept on file?
NO. Guard-A-Kid™ child safety specialists do not keep any of the captured information including the fingerprints and the photo on file. The parents are solely responsible to keep their child’s information handy in the case of an emergency.
What about the children who are absent from school on the Guard-A-Kid™ day?
At the end of the Guard-A-Kid™ program day in your school, a program make-up date is set for a week or two later. The kids that were absent are processed on the make-up day.
