Lately, many news agencies have tried to write about the protection detail of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s baby, based on ”insiders” and revealing names of companies and protectors assigned for little Archie’s security. Now, before you believe any story, have in mind that most of the time those ”insiders” are the company owners who want to draw attention to their companies. It doesn’t mean that those insiders are saying the truth and should be believed.
Prince Harry comes from the most powerful Royal Family in the world, their family members are trained and educated on how to select people that will work for them. They give a huge emphasis on confidentiality, work ethics, and discretion. So you will never know the names of the people who work to protect them, not even the companies.
Ask yourself if the public is aware of the names of the people who protect Bill Gates, Jeff Bezo’s, or other Royal Families. They don’t. Because it is very important for those Close Protection Operatives/ Bodyguards to be unidentified. You will never see them posting pictures with their clients or naming their clients on social media or in interviews. Only an amateur or an unprofessional protector would do so.
Close Protection Operatives/Bodyguards have been hired in the past to protect children of HNW families, celebrities, Royal families, etc. It is not a new ”trend”, so let’s see what it means to offer close protection services to minors.
Some may think it is the ‘’easy job’’ but when you get hired to protect a client’s most valuable asset, his child, you will find out that providing security details for minors is actually harder and more challenging than protecting adults. Consider as well, the immense amount of trust a client has to put in your ability before they offer you the opportunity and then not be overconfident in your performance. Kids are the fastest way to end a career, don’t underestimate the challenge they present or the rewards that service to them offers.
Today more and more celebrities, dignitaries, politicians, and the corporate elite are hiring female bodyguards that are assigned specifically to protect their children.
The traditional huge thick-necked bodyguard accompanying a child to the zoo is giving way to the ‘’child-friendly image’’ of a well-dressed athlete with an I.Q. of 130+, caring for that child as if it was their own. Male and female bodyguards that can blend in with and adapt to the environment of parents and children are more likely to gain employment over the classic muscleman.
If you are in charge of protecting young children, you will either be their sole caretaker in public or be in charge of both them and their caretakers. Either way, you have challenges. If you are the sole caretaker, you will be as preoccupied with meals, diapers, tempers, and entertainment as with their security. If you are watching over the child while in the company of a nanny or parents, your job is immensely easier but also exponentially harder with the addition of each person added to the party.
Conditions are easier if the child is younger and cannot communicate because you don’t have to carry on a conversation, but harder because you also may have to carry them, thus occupying your hands. Easier if they can talk but harder when they can talk back or argue. Easier when they are older and can listen for and follow directions but harder when they want their own way.
The difficulty really comes when you are dealing with teenagers. An exceptionally high number of security details for teenagers has to be done covertly. This is to say that the kids just won’t want you around or cooperate with you if you are “in their space”. So forget about walking formations, suits, and stiff postures. Be prepared to dress casual and blend in. That includes both your physical appearance and behavior. One wrong move that embarrasses your young client and you are done, and with a negative review of your conduct reaching the parents, done for good.
Here are some hints to consider when protecting children:
If you can work with a caretaker or parent and allow them to care for the child, this is ideal. The adult would go through training with you to learn to understand verbal instructions and non-verbal instructions and you would not deal directly with the child or ever be alone with them. You must also consider your age and athletic ability when compared with the nanny or the parent(s). Could you pass for a spouse or parent or Aunt or Uncle?
When you interview a client prior to accepting an assignment, ask them about your limitations or role regarding their child’s protection. Typically, the client will not allow you to admonish or punish a child for misbehavior. You will be spending a lot of time with a child that may be developing his/her character. This is a very vulnerable period. Not many parents are willing and open to allowing another person to correct their child’s behavior. So be sure to clarify your limitations in writing.
Also, remember that attraction is a natural function in life and children learn to trust and become attracted to adults at an early age. This process averages about 6 months which is why it is recommended that you limit your contracts to that amount of time. If you are going to stay longer, you must obtain additional training as the emotional stress on you can be overwhelming over longer periods of time. Some may ask you to just act as a bodyguard and protect their child’s physical well-being and some will ask you to also educate them and correct bad behavior.
When it comes to children's or teenagers' protection, clients tend to hire bodyguards that will be assigned to the family and the child for many years. As one might understand, it can be difficult to place different bodyguards on a child’s or teenager’s protection during short time periods. In this case, they are looking for someone skilled and mature enough both professionally and ethically to protect but also work as a mentor for their child.
Mentoring and teaching could include academia as well as self-protection skillsets. Make sure your need for income doesn’t overwhelm your ability to teach.
As with any client, there are roughly 50 mandatory questions that should be asked and answered, and an additional 100 that could be asked. Many of these should be asked of the parents but many should be asked of the child while the parents are present. As soon as you get assigned to a child protection detail you must ask about their habits, his/her medical record ( blood type, if he/she is allergic to anything, etc), preferable places they like to spend time, and of course who their friends are.
Background checks should be conducted on every adult around the child, including the parents of friends. Include school staff such as teachers, coaches, bus drivers, school nurses, and cafeteria staff.
Have a conversation with the child. Explain to them why you are there and what your job is. Usually, they see you as a new person intruding in their life and someone who is there to spy on them and report anything they do to their parents. This initial bonding is critical to you keeping your job.
Deal with older children as adults. Have a conversation with them. Children are not stupid and like to be dealt with as adults. Respect their opinion and explain your position. Make sure they understand that your only duty is to keep them safe.
An additional concern is reporting. Whether asked to report back to the child’s parents or not, you should keep very accurate notes and be prepared to deliver an accurate report to them. This may ruin trust so be very careful with this.
Allow the child some time to feel comfortable with you and trust you. Depending on the child and your approach, it may take them up to 3 months to start feeling comfortable and trust you. Don’t rush the process. Be approachable and let them decide when they can come closer to you. Again remember that this is dependent on your planned length of the assignment.
Children by nature are very reactive and they tend to do the opposite of what they have been told. For the child, we are another ‘’intruder’’ in his personal life. It takes a great deal of patience and discipline to earn trust. Study this process and seek out a professional counselor if needed. Your client should retain one for you.
In the beginning, (with an older child), you will have to deal with a child who will be asking you to stay further away, don’t look at them, don’t open the car doors for them, don’t accompany them for shopping or to the movie theater. Of course, as you do your job, you will have to disregard or ignore their requests and although some in our profession may say it doesn’t matter what the child wants the fact is that at some point it does matter. At the end of the day, you don’t want to deal with a kid who will play hide and seek with you and see you as an enemy, but a child that will be cooperative with you and seek you out and trust you when danger threatens their safety or security.
Educate the child on security awareness topics. Children love learning new stuff and they will understand why you can’t stay back out of reaction range, How you can see them but not watch, how you can be close enough to hear them but not listen, why she/he can’t sit on the passenger’s seat next to the driver, why you have to open the door for them etc…
Since much of teenager protection is done undercover, set some signals or codes with the child. Let her/him know what signs you can both use for cases such as ‘’stay there’’, ‘’go’’, ‘’come close to me’’ etc. AND Practice these every day.
Consider the child’s friends. Your presence around them can affect how your client acts or reacts. Avoid addressing the friends and never correct the child in front of them.
Another important issue to discuss with the child you are protecting is their online behavior. You may have to teach and explain why it is important for him/her to be very cautious about what information and pictures they post or share with friends. Many times, parents neglect these matters. You will become all things to these children. Take the influence you have over them seriously. You are not just protecting them, you are influencing them too. Children will learn to manipulate both parents and protectors. Parents may become jealous or resent that you spend all your time with their kids or that you are “too close”. Address this issue early on. It will save your career.
Do you need a bodyguard to protect your child? Contact us today
Denida Zinxhiria Grow
Founder & CEO
Athena Worldwide
Athena Academy
Nannyguards
At Athena Worldwide we are industry leaders for promoting, training and staffing female bodyguards internationally. With our affiliate offices, we can provide world-wide close protection and executive protection services for entertainment professionals, politicians, CEOs, Royal Families, journalists, clergy and corporate personnel.
Want to find out more about female bodyguards? visit www.athenaworldwide.com Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s baby bodyguard, who is protecting Prince Harry baby, Bodyguards for Archie
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