08/23/2026
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Every Minute Matters-The Vulnerable Child Alert Initiative
Autism Swim, Miramichi
WHAT ARE WE LEARNING?
Families.Professionals.First Responders.
The conversation has begun. đź’™
When I started Every Minute Matters, I knew there was a gap in how we respond when a vulnerable child goes missing.
What I didn’t know was how much we would learn by simply asking the people who live this, work with these children, and respond when things go wrong.
We’ve now begun receiving responses from families and caregivers, community professionals, and first responders through our community consultation forms.
These are still early findings, and they are not intended to represent all New Brunswick families or professionals. But some important themes are already emerging.
🧡 FAMILIES & CAREGIVERS
Among the families/caregivers who have responded so far:
• 100% have experienced a vulnerable child in their care eloping, wandering or going missing.
• 100% would consider completing a voluntary safety profile for their child that could be available to first responders.
• 80% reported that finances have created barriers to obtaining necessary safety equipment.
Families have also repeatedly raised concerns about:
🧩 Communication differences and children who may be unable to tell responders who they are, where they live or what they need.
🌊 Water safety and children who may not recognize the danger associated with water.
🚨 The need for faster notification and a response that recognizes the unique risks associated with vulnerable children.
👮 The importance of responders understanding the individual child’s communication style, sensory needs, behaviours and triggers.
đź’ś COMMUNITY PROFESSIONALS
We’ve received responses from professionals, including behaviour specialists, autism professionals, healthcare, education and search-and-rescue.
Among those respondents:
• 100% believe first responders could benefit from additional education or training relating to autism, developmental differences, communication and sensory needs.
• 78% said families do not have enough access to information and resources to prepare for these emergencies, while another 22% said access is only “somewhat” adequate.
• 89% support the idea of a voluntary individualized safety profile province wide.
Some of the strongest themes have included communication barriers, sensory considerations, water safety, de-escalation, and the need for a faster and more appropriate response when a vulnerable child goes missing.
đź’™ FIRST RESPONDER PERSPECTIVE
We have also received our first response through the dedicated First Responders questionnaire.
This response is particularly important because it gives us a perspective from someone who actually works within search and rescue/emergency response.
And importantly, this responder does feel they receive adequate training.
That matters.
Our goal is not to say that first responders aren’t trained or aren’t doing their jobs.
Instead, this responder identified other areas where the system itself can create challenges:
• Delays in activation
• Limited information about the point last seen
• Difficulty obtaining direction of travel quickly
• Potential contamination of tracks or scent evidence
• A need for greater transparency and speed in activation
They also strongly supported a voluntary family safety profile, including information such as medical history, physical identifiers, frequently visited locations and de-escalation strategies.
Their area does not currently use Project Lifesaver, which is another reason we are investigating exactly where these resources are available throughout New Brunswick, who can access them, and what barriers exist.
🔎 WHAT ARE WE SEEING ACROSS THE CONSULTATION?
Although these are early findings, some themes are appearing again and again:
1. Preparation matters.
Families and responders need useful information before a crisis happens.
2. Individual information matters.
A vulnerable child isn’t a generic profile. Their communication, behaviours, triggers, interests and risks can be very different from another child’s.
3. Time matters.
Delays in activation, gathering information or mobilizing resources can have consequences.
4. Access matters.
Safety tools and resources aren’t necessarily equally accessible based on geography, funding or individual circumstances.
5. This needs to be built together.
Families, professionals and first responders each see a different part of the problem.
That’s exactly why Every Minute Matters is doing community consultation before deciding what the final solution should look like.
I’m not claiming to have all the answers. If you don’t agree with the current findings or you have concerns in certain areas please fill out the form to help us understand your point of view.
I’m asking New Brunswick to help us find them.
đź’™ HOW YOU CAN HELP
You don’t have to be a parent of a vulnerable child to participate.
You can:
đź“ť Complete the appropriate consultation form
📲 Share the forms with someone who may have valuable experience
🤝 Connect us with an organization, professional or first responder who should be part of the conversation
đź“Ł Share Every Minute Matters with your community
đź’¬ Tell us about your own experience or concerns
If you see us out in the community this weekend wearing our Every Minute Matters sweaters, please come talk to us!
You can ask questions, learn more about what we’ve discovered so far, tell us your story, or simply find out what this initiative is about.
You don’t need to know anything about Every Minute Matters. Come say hello. 💙
📧 [email protected]
