Children calling 999

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AIBU to wonder what the best practise is these days for teaching children to call 999?

-Having a landline isn’t that common anymore, nobody I know has one still except my grandmother. So just picking up the phone and dialling isn’t an option

-Most people have passwords on their mobile phones which their children don’t know (nor do they want them to) so that’s an obstacle

-and then making an emergency call from a locked phone is a bit complicated for smaller children.

Should this not be an argument for having landlines still? What’s the alternative?

My three year old twins know how to dial 999 as well as my 5 emergency contacts (their dad, aunt, 2 grandparents and a friend). So its not that complicated. They loved the novelty initially of ringing the above people when they were in the same room, so got lots of practice at that. The next step is teaching them our address but I held off as we moved house today

All mobile phones have the ability to press emergency on the password enter screen to override the need to enter a password this will then dial 999 automatically. My son's school taught this at the age of 5, letting them experiment with a few different phone models belonging to staff. They were also taught about What three words appeared and how to use it to identify where you were to 999 operators. I downloaded it onto all our phones on the day my son told me all about it. Since then he's dialled 999 3 times when I've had a seizure, the first time being own a beach where he used what three words the other two at home and he knew his address. I also teach him what medical conditions I have and about the green medicine bag he should give to paramedics if they're called. He learnt this at 5 and is now 12.

For you. But as a reasonably competent adult, I don't know how to make emergency calls on my phone, and I'm quite sure a good section of the adult population over 40 are the same.

I will now make it my business to find out, and considershowing my 3 year old so he knows what to do.

Don't assume bc you know something, that everyone knows, it's arrogant, ineffective and unattractive.

Our two both know how to make emergency calls on smartphones, and where we live, the oldest also knows how to use what three words, they’re ten and three. Our ten year old did have to call them when he was four as I was suffering from a bad hypo. Our three year old has also called them, not at all needed, but at least we now know she can call them, give her address and say daddy is unwell when he is completely fine and hoping to have a calm and drama free day.

They also bofh know where certain medicine and medical info is stored and on a fairly regular basis we ask them to grab it so they don’t forget where it is etc.

I think it is important to emphasise calling 999.

It’s really not. Not complicated at all.

Sorry but that a glaring gap in your knowledge; it’s not indicative of it being difficult to do.
Majority of people with a phone know how to do this. If you’ve not learned than that’s unusual, and if people don’t teach their kids then that’s also a gap in their parenting. It really isn’t difficult. Go and look. It’s easy.

You don't know how to make an emergency call on your phone ?!

On mine, as soon as you swipe up as you would to enter a passcode, there's a button saying Emergency Call.

Even if a good section of the adult population over 40 hasn't paid that much attention to their phones previously, they could probably manage to work out for themselves what Emergency Call means as soon as they pick up a phone to call - and little ones are absolutely able to recognise the shape of the words under the numbers.

As pp says please also make sure they know their home address. Landlines gave the location instantly mobiles can take ages to track down

It is an argument to have a landline of a ‚brick phone‘ but it’s easy enough for a pre-reading child of around three to be able to use the phone to make the emergency call option. Some children may take longer to get the skills and an alternative would be sensible

It’s pretty easy. Press home, home, emergency on touch screen and 999 📞

My child could do this at age 3, the same time I got a lock password to stop him accidentally purchasing my entire Amazon basket or deleting something important like photos.

We refresh this every few weeks.

Of course it’s easier to have a landline and you can put a colour or merk on the 9 to make it toddler friendly. This is possible with a brick phone too.

I once accidentally pressed the emergency button. On my phone it does ask you to confirm (by pressing it again) if you do want to contact 999

Knowing names and address is important too. Lots only know first name or mummy especially if different name to child. I know rainbows and brownies do what to do in emergencies as an activity.

My three year old doesn't know how to call the emergency services (not 999 here as we live abroad). I'll have to teach her soon. To be honest it won't help her much though as she can't open the door. She's disabled and can only reach the handle from her wheelchair, which she isn't usually in if we're just at home.