Child Rescue Alert was launched by Sussex Police in November, 2002
as a ground-breaking initiative to save abducted children from being murdered.
It has since been adopted by Surrey Police and other forces are currently looking
at introducing the scheme in the future.
The scheme works by interrupting
television and radio programmes with immediate news flashes that a youngster
has been snatched and is at risk of serious harm or death.
By joining with the media, police forces are able to spread the message to a
vast cross-section of the public within moments, asking them to keep their
eyes and ears open and to call 999 if they have crucial information.
The scheme is based on an American concept called Amber Alert, which was
introduced in Texas in 1996 following the kidnapping and murder of nine-year-old Amber Hagerman.
This has now been credited with saving at least 69 children.
The Internet Watch Foundation works in partnership with ISPs, Telcos, Mobile Operators,
Software Providers, Police and Government, to minimise the availability of illegal Internet content particularly child abuse images. Our Internet Hotline can deal with reports of
potentially illegal Internet content, such as websites, newsgroups and online groups that:
Contain images of child abuse, anywhere in the world.
Contain adult material that potentially breaches the Obscene Publications Act in the UK.
