European Child Alert Automated System (ECAAS)

2010 was the year of implementation of a very important initiative of the “Smile of the Child” concerning the creation and operation of a European technological tool to deal with incidents of missing children and to coordinate the necessary cross-country collaboration by case.
 
This initiative combines four main parameters of the Organization’s general activities in the crucial field of missing children:

• The rich experience from the operation of the Amber Alert Hellas, the National SOS Helpline for Children 1056 and the European Hotline for Missing Children 116000.
• The excellent cooperation with the competent state authorities and supporting agencies which has been generated through the persistent efforts of the Organization.
• It’s significant international networking.
• It’s distinguished and internationally recognized skills regarding the integration and exploitation of Information and Communication Technologies.

Given this background, the Organization had submitted a relevant proposal in 2009 to the Pilot Community Project “Child Abduction Alert” of the Directorate-General Justice (D.G. Justice) of the European Commission concerning the establishment of the European Child Alert Automated System (ECAAS).
 
The project consists in creating an integrated technological tool aiming in the immediate activation of the alert system and the transmission of relevant information and messages to the widest possible range of recipients about incidents of missing children with a cross-country dimension.
 
The ECAAS concerns and connects the total competent state services and a variety of supporting agencies (Mass Media, points of public information etc.) in order to activate the national services, the prompt awareness of the public and the pan-European cross-country cooperation for a coordinated and effective fight against the phenomena.
 
The project was implemented in 2010 by “The Smile of the Child” in the role of coordinator and in collaboration with the Greek, Cypriot and Portuguese Police and NGO partners from Italy (SOS Il Telephono Azzuro) and Portugal (Instituto de Apoio di Crianca).
 
In the context of the project, a cross-country research for the assessment of needs and existing procedures, two meetings, in Lisbon and Rome respectively, cooperation with technical advisors of the project as well as pilot tests of the system in third countries were performed.
 
The project was completed with great success and the operation of the System has already drawn the interest of a series of national Police Authorities of EU member states.
 
 More information on the project can be found at: http://www.europeanchildalert.com/

With financial support from the European Union