This document discusses child abduction and code pink policies in hospitals. It defines child abduction as the unauthorized removal of a minor from their legal guardians. Code pink is an emergency code activated when a child goes missing in a hospital to coordinate a search. The response involves announcing code pink, forming a quick response team to assign roles, searching the local area and restricting exits while checking cameras and vehicles. If the child is found, they are examined and returned to their parents, while injuries or suspicious circumstances involve police. The incident is reported, procedures analyzed, and staff trained on policies through drills to improve the code pink system.

1. Child
Abduction

2. What is Child Abduction?
Presentation title
Child abduction is the unauthorized removal of a minor (a
child under the age of legal adulthood) from the custody of the
child's natural parents or legally appointed guardians.
Code Pink is used to denote abduction of child within age
group 0-18 years.
Code Pink is used by many organizations to inform
employees regarding an abduction attempt (infant/child).
To prevent any such incidents it is important to keep area with
neonatal and pediatrics patients restricted for unauthorised
people and only staff and patients parents or legal guardian
only should be allowed.
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3. Code Pink Policy
Presentation title
• Code pink is an emergency code which is used to, activate a set of actions in case a
child/baby is missing, from the hospital.
• As there is a fair possibility that the, missing child/baby is abducted it is considered
as an emergency and a predefined set of actions are taken on an urgent basis to
safeguard the missing child/baby.
• The entire system of coordination, communications, decisions, and actions followed
during such situation is called as a, code pink system.
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4. Code Pink Policy
Presentation title
• This policy is applicable for all children/babies within the, hospital premise,
irrespective of whether they are the, patient of the hospital, or not. (i.e. missing child
could be admitted in hospital or a visitor)
• This policy is not restricted to paediatric and neonatal areas, but is applicable across
the hospital wherever incidence of missing child/baby happens.
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5. Response
Presentation title
STEP 1: CHILD MISSING
• If a child is reported lost /missing, you immediately notify your supervisor.search in local area carried
out with help of staff.
• After confirmation of child abduction, the concerned nurse will notify facility operator.
• The facility operator will announce “code pink” to engage the staff without panicking the crowd.
• And disseminate appropriate information like age of infant, location of abduction, gender, hair colour,
height, weight and the details of cloths he/she was wearing when seen last to the concern personnel
and team.
• The announcement will be repeated three times, with a 30-second interval between each repetition, for
a minimum of at least 3 times. 5

6. Response
Presentation title
STEP 2: CODE PINK ALARM RESPONSE
•Code pink task force receives code pink alarm notification via over head page.
• Quick Response Team (QRT) for code pink
▪ HOD/ In-charge of the area
▪ Administrative Officer
▪ Security In-charge/ Security Supervisor
▪ Security Guard of the area
• Task force team leader assigns specific functions for each and every member of the task force
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7. Response
Presentation title
STEP 3: ACTION PLAN
• In charges, nurses and other staffs should understand the description and start search of the missing
child/baby, however critical patient care work should not be stopped.
• All exists to be locked and reinforced with security staffs.
• The main gates to be closed.
• Do not allow any person to move from the respective areas
• CCTV cameras must be checked
• Every person to be frisked carrying bag and baggage’s
• Vehicle boots/decky to be checked.
• DONOT allow the person reported the incident to depart the area. 7

8. Response
Presentation title
STEP 4: CHILD FOUND
• If you locate a missing child or identify a lost child, immediately notify your supervisor.
• DONOT touch the child. Attempt to obtain as much information as possible from the child (name,
parents name, age, event attending, etc.)
• Tell telephone operator to announce, “ALL CLEAR”. ,three times. With this announcement all staff
will resume back to their normal work and active search of the child/baby can be discontinued.
CHILD NOT FOUND
Inform the police & follow the law
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9. Post Response
Presentation title
From child perspective:
• If the child/baby is found alright a quick physical examination of the child/baby should be to ensure
that child/baby is in normal condition. He/she should then be handed over to the parent
• If the child/baby is found with minor injuries, first aid / treatment should be given
• If the child/baby is found with severe injuries or in dead condition, or in any condition which indicates
a manhandling/abuse/crime, police shall immediately be informed, and a medico-legal case must be
documented
• If a suspect is found eloping the child, the description of the suspect should be noted, and police
should be informed as soon as possible
• If child is not found within sufficient time, police should be informed 9

10. Post Response
Presentation title
From Administrative perspective:
• The safety/security officer should prepare a detailed report on the code pink incident.
• The report must contain description of child, time of code pink activation, details of search operations,
decisions taken and outcome of code pink.
• Hospital administrator must analyze the code pink system and take corrective action to make it more
robust
• NOTE: By ensuring that CCTV camera is installed in each area of the hospital, in case of such
incidents, missing child search can be easily carried out or at least suspect/child thief can be easily
identified & suitable action can be taken further.
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11. TRAINING AND EDUCATION
Presentation title
All staffs should be educated with :
• Review of all policies and procedures
• Review of regulatory standards.
• Review of case studies and Infant security videos.
• Verbal or written test.
• Periodic mock drills should be conducted.
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12. Thank you
Child Abduction 12