Safety for Kids Website

There is a growing concern among parents that, as their special needs children grow older,  police and other officials may misinterpret their more unusual behaviors, putting the child at risk for misunderstandings, arrest or even injury. Please check out Dennis Debbaudt's Autism Risk and Safety Management: Information and Resources for Law Enforcement, First Responders, Parents, Educators and Care Providers. This website provides information for parents and individuals on how to manage interactions with the police, and gives advice on what your children can do to protect themselves. There's also information on how to avoid being the victim of criminal activity.

Because kids on the autism spectrum may have very different ways of interpreting situations and behaving, it's worthwhile to have a discussion in advance, so your kids and teens know what would be expected of them if they got into a police interaction.