Missing boy: How do we prevent a repeat?

A five-year-old boy who travelled 229 miles after jumping on a train while out shopping with his mother has been reunited with his family.

Shabaaz Iqbal's remarkable journey began when he got separated from his mother and ended up in Macclesfield after boarding a train at Glasgow Central Station.

He was spotted by Virgin Trains staff and has now been returned to Glasgow with his mother.

Despite parents' best efforts, children can still get lost but how does a child manage to travel so far without any apparent intervention by an adult?

How can we prevent such an incident happening again?

Do we have adequate safeguards for trying to trace children as soon as the alarm is raised? Should we all take greater responsibility for ensuring children's safety?

On BBC Radio Five Live, some listeners expressed concern that the emphasis on child protection has also made some men, in particular, reluctant to approach children they believe to be lost, fearing that their intentions could be misinterpreted.

We asked for your views.

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If this child is five he is old enough to ask a cop for help and he should know his name, address and phone number. Mothers only have to look at an item they are thinking of buying for a few seconds for a good fast escape artist to disappear from sight.
Shirl, Texas, USA

This is paranoia in action. If you have freedom, other people have freedom too, and they can abuse it, just as you can. Unless you want a police state, you'll have to live with things like this happening.
Mark,

How did Virgin Trains' staff fail to notice a very young man travelling on his own for several hours without a ticket? Surely they need to re-examine their procedures for dealing with lone travelling children.
Steve Jones, Scotland, UK

Maybe if the papers weren't so paranoid about paedophiles and horrible things happening to kids then men would be able to talk to a stray child.

Society seems to be going mad over all of this, but is it any worse than it was a few years ago when the press didn't pick up these stories.

My 3-year-old is in no more danger now than when I was his age, but al the scare stories mean that he won't get anything like the freedom that I enjoyed as a child.

When schools don't let parent film the Xmas play because of fears it could be used by paedophiles as was reported this week - it's gone too far.
les, UK

Maybe if the papers weren't so paranoid about paedophiles and horrible things happening to kids then men would be able to talk to a stray child.

Les, UK

What parent hasn't lost a child for a short space of time. Short legs can still cover a considerable distance in a moment. If anyone is greatly concerned about an apperently lost child, their actions should be guided initially by their concience, which they'll have to live with and some common sense, rather than a worry what people will think.
barry b, UK

Reading through these comments there are a few that came up with the same conclusion I did, I would feel compelled to help but at the same time worried about the possible thoughts going through other peoples heads....

It's a sad day when that stops you helping....
martin, scotland

I agree with Rob (UK) - it is the responsibility of the adult accompanying the child into busy areas to ensure that they are constantly aware of the child's movements. I have a 4-year-old daughter and I cannot visit heavily urbanized places without constantly fearing that we will become seperated.

I think the message during the Christmas period is to leave children supervised at home whilst out shopping! Single parents who find it hard to find childcare could consider a system whereby parents with similar aged kids get together and take it in turns to have all the kids for a couple of hours whilst the other parents go shop - far better than dealing with the stress of taking the kids with you! It really has made a difference to myself and 6 or 7 other parents over the last couple of weeks!
Sarah, UK

A couple of years ago ( in UK) I found a small child wearing nothing but underpants and a dressing gown cycling on the carriageway of a main road.

I pulled him over, found out he knew where he lived and walked him home. His mum was asleep, didn't even know he was out of the house.

As a Scot in exile, I can understand how he might easily board the wrong sort of train at Central!

Walter, England

I was totally disgusted that I was the first person to take action even though he was at least a mile from home and must have been passed by hundreds of motorists.

As a woman I had no qualms about stopping. Even if a guy is too worried to intervene .. ring the police station on your mobile - better you look stupid than something bad happens to a kid!!
jackie, Australia (UK)

I agree totally with previous comments that this incident proves how safe a country we live in. We do not need new ill-thought-out legislation to cover every imaginable opportunity. a good clip round the ear followed by a big hug is all that is required.
ian,fife, uk

If an adult male feels, rightly or wrongly, some care is required in approaching a child apparently in need of help on a train, co-opting any sympathetic female fellow passenger would seem a reasonable solution. As a Scot in exile, I can understand how he might easily board the wrong sort of train at Central!
Walter, england

I think it is up to parents to teach their children what to do when they get lost. My mother had taught us: first not to give up each others hand, in any event. Second don't move from your place when you get lost, because she would return all the way, and she would find us. Third ask for a policeman. In addition, we were taught the name of our parents and the address of our home to give to policeman.
Cyrus, Iran

This is an amazing story with a happy end. In light of the recent high-profile cases such as Jessica & Holly from Soham and of Mandy Dowler, one can only commend the vigilance and dedication on a job well-done of the BTP and the Virgin Trains staff to help this story end with good news.
Toni Seckler, United States

There is nothing that should be done at national level to prevent an occasional glitch like this. If, as an adult male, I were to approach a small child (especially a young girl) the potential implications are mindblowing, especially with so many children rightly taught not to talk to strangers.

It is strange that guards on the train did not notice an unaccompanied child, but the fact that on one occasion a child went missing is not grounds for introducing a raft of new, badly-thought legislation.
John B, UK

This is essentially a one-off. This country is going crazy trying to legislate for even the most unusual of happenings. It is not possible. The more rules you have the greater the chance that some poor individual will inadvertently break them.

I was gratified that this lad could travel that distance unharmed and he was safely returned to his mother

Ann Middleton, USA

Individuals have got to learn to take responsibility for their actions. In this case it starts and finishes with whichever adult was in charge of the child when it made off. No-one else is concerned.
Leslie Horne, UK

I would say that in my case, the uncertainty of being possibly accused does influence my actions. I have seen a small child playing on the road, and a car moving towards the child, I have moved the child off the road and then thought, "oh, I shouldn't have done that, I could have got done for being a sexual pervert and handling a child".

How can you explain, you are a man and guilty by association in the eyes of some people. Yes, I do leave it to a woman to deal with an issue now, and that is not good, for me or anyone else.
John, New Zealand

Susie from Toronto's idea is absolutely repugnant. Children are not animals or cars, possessions or status symbols; they are people, with a right to independence and privacy.

Denying children any chance to make decisions or escape from negative home environments will only have a detrimental effect on their development, without making them in any way safer.
Ed, UK

My husband and I have friends in Glasgow and are occasional visitors to Scotland. I am also a Child Welfare Supervisor here in our home state of Oklahoma/USA. When I read the story about the traveling boy I was struck with a more positive point of view. I was gratified that this lad could travel that distance unharmed and he was safely returned to his mother.

I could never live with myself if something happened to a child that I failed to help

Sandy Urquart

This situation, while certainly worrying, is complimentary to the safety of the general public in the UK. My guess is he managed to slip onto the train and simply enjoyed the ride until somebody got suspicious. This incident does not rise to the level of intentional child maltreatment which my agency routinely investigates. My only advice to that frightened mother would be what she has already learned and that is to keep a tight reign on the little escape artist. I'll bet he's a handful.
Ann Middleton, USA

Fuss over nothing. The person looking after the boy should have kept a better eye on him. My mum would never have let this happen, mind you I'm not smart enough to use trains now I'm 30, let alone when five!
Rob, UK

Is it possible that perhaps major advertising campaigns could be initiated to ensure that lost children know what to do should they get separated from family? The men and women who travel around Glasgow city centre dressed in red and currently give information to shoppers and tourists are a prime example of noticeable people in the city - surely people such as those could be a very useful way of preventing kids from wandering so far so quickly. It would also give the public someone to speak to should they be afraid to approach a child.
John Mallon, Scotland

Was he too old to wear a 'lead'-type wrist strap to stay attached to his mother ? Hope she gets him one now! Some manufacturer should produce 'cool' designs that older children wouldn't mind wearing. Great he is okay.
Richard Roocroft, england

David's point about being nervous about helping is interesting. I feel some sympathy for his sentiments but I could never live with myself if something happened to a child that I failed to help. I think we have to be clear about who is most vulnerable in these situations.
Sandy Urquart, Scotland

I have worked with children in a wide range of settings over the last five years. However, in public places when I don't have a specific role (job, voluntary position etc.) I would be very hesitant in approaching a single child.

Fear of being misinterpreted is a huge factor for guys, and while it's extremely frustrating, it's a fact of today's fundamental mistrust in other people.
David

Pet owners can have microchips inserted under the skin of their pets for tracking and tracing purposes and car owners can have GPS in their cars to recover the car after theft; there must be something for parents.
Susie, Toronto