Noor Says NoWhat is a family password, and how do you set one up?
Sources reviewed on November 1, 2026. Based on public advice, see below.
A family password is a word that only your family knows. If someone else has to pick up your child unexpectedly, your child goes along only if that person knows the word. New Westminster Police in Canada advises this as a family safety code word. Also tell the school who may pick up your child.
How does it work?
Choose a word together. Tell it only to the people who may pick up your child. If someone says "Your mom sent me," your child asks: "What's our password?" Wrong answer or no answer? Your child does not go, and walks back to a teacher or another trusted adult.
New Westminster Police puts it this way: your child should only go with that person if they know the family's safety code word.
What makes a good password?
- Easy for your child to say and remember.
- Not something a stranger can guess or read, like a pet's name on a backpack.
- Fun. In the book, it's pancake.
These tips are ours, not from a study. We did not find research that measures how well passwords work.
What should you arrange with the school?
NCMEC says to talk to your child's school or day care about its pickup policy. Be clear that no one should pick up your child without your permission, and ask to be contacted right away if someone else tries.
How do you practice?
Role play at home, with the roles switched too. Let your child play the grown-up and ask you for the password. Then change the scene: a neighbor, an aunt, someone in a uniform. The answer is the same for everyone without the password.
What if your child forgets it?
Then your child waits with a teacher and someone calls you. Tell your child that this is always the right call, and that you will never be upset about it. See what to teach instead of stranger danger.
Frequently asked questions
Who should know the password?
Only the people who may pick up your child. Change it if it gets around. And agree on a rule for what happens if a trusted person does not know it.
From what age does this work?
We found no set age. A child who can repeat a word and walk back to a teacher can start practicing. Young children still need an adult at pickup.
Keep reading
- Sleepovers: which questions do you ask, and what is a code word?
- What do you teach your child if a stranger approaches them?
- Should your child's name be on their backpack?
All topics are in the overview of parents' questions. The big picture is in the guide How do you help keep your child safe? A guide for parents. Want to practice this with your child? That's why the picture book Noor Says No was made.
Sources
Each source was read on November 1, 2026. These organizations are not connected to this site or the book.
- New Westminster Police Department (Canada): Back to School Safety Reminders for Parents and Caregivers.
- National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: Tips for Parents: Preventing Abduction (PDF).
- National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: Tips for Parents: Safety Scenarios (PDF).
This is general information, not a replacement for professional help. Worried about a child? In the US, call or text Childhelp at 1-800-422-4453. In the UK, call the NSPCC at 0808 800 5000. Immediate danger: call 911 or 999.
