08/10/2026
💙 **AUTISM & ELOPEMENT: LET’S TALK ABOUT HOME SAFETY** 💙
Parents and caregivers, this message comes from a place of care—not fear.
Over the past several months, we have seen heartbreaking stories of children on the autism spectrum eloping from a safe environment and later being found in or near a body of water.
**Elopement can happen quickly. Preparation matters.**
If your child has a history of wandering, bolting, or attempting to leave safe areas—or even if you’re beginning to notice these behaviors—consider taking another look at your home safety plan.
🏠 **Ways to add layers of protection at home:**
🔐 Install locks or other appropriate safety devices on exterior doors and windows.
🚨 Consider door and window alarms that alert you immediately when an exit is opened.
🚪 Secure gates, garages, fences, and other possible exit points.
📍 Consider wearable identification and/or location technology appropriate for your child.
💧 **Identify every nearby water source**—pools, ponds, lakes, creeks, retention ponds, fountains, and other bodies of water. Know the fastest routes from your home to those locations.
🏊 Consider swimming and water-safety instruction that meets your child’s individual needs.
👨👩👧 Make sure family members, caregivers, babysitters, and trusted neighbors understand your child’s elopement risk and your safety plan.
👮 Consider introducing your child to local first responders and providing them with important information that could help during an emergency.
📋 Have an emergency plan ready **before you need it.** Keep a recent photo and important information about your child easily accessible.
Most importantly, **if your child is missing, call 911 immediately.** Clearly tell responders that your child is autistic and at risk for elopement, and make nearby bodies of water an immediate search priority.
Elopement is not simply a child “misbehaving” or a parent failing to supervise. For some individuals with autism, wandering can be connected to seeking something of interest, escaping something distressing, sensory needs, or communication challenges.
Our goal isn't to frighten families. **Our goal is to help families prepare.**
Please take a few minutes today to walk through your home as if you were seeing it through your child’s eyes:
**Where could they exit?
What could they unlock?
Where might they go?
What water is nearby?
How quickly would you know they were gone?**
Those few minutes could identify a safety gap you didn't know existed.
💙 **Secure. Alert. Identify. Prepare. Practice.**
Please share this with another parent, caregiver, teacher, therapist, or family member. Awareness can lead to preparation—and preparation can save lives.
