National Kidsafe Day

 Kidsafe, the Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia, is targeting a reduction in the 250 child deaths and 58,000 hospital admissions seen every year in Australia due to preventable injuries, with the release of a home safety checklist.

In Victoria alone 29 children die, 13,144 are admitted to hospital and 66,644 present to emergency departments every year due to unintentional injury. The majority of these injuries occur in the home environment.

Left: Craig Ondarchie, MLC for Northern Metropolitan; the Hon. Wendy Lovell,
Victorian Minister for Housing and Children and Josie Constanzo with the Kidsafe
Home Safety Checklist and fridge magnets.

The Minister was also joined by Josie Constanzo, who lost her young son twelve years ago in a backyard swimming pool tragedy, to stress the importance of water safety around the home.

Justin drowned tragically in a neighbour's pool after the pool gate had been propped open - a thoughtless action which led to a very preventable death that has haunted Josie and her family and friends every day since.

Robert Caulfield, President of Kidsafe Victoria said, 'Child injury prevention around the home requires constant auditing of conditions; if a hazard is seen it needs to be removed immediately."

Mr Caulfield said, 'The Kidsafe Home Safety Checklist will assist parents to identify possible injury hazards in their homes. By downloading the Kidsafe Home Safety Checklist and assessing their homes, parents can help to reduce the risk of serious injury to their children."

Kidsafe Victoria also launched a Victorian Facebook page to provide Victorian parents and carers with access to an online community to discuss and participate in child injury prevention.

Left: The Hon. Wendy Lovell, Victorian Minister for Housing and Children; Robert Caulfield,
President, Kidsafe Victoria and Clare Johnston from St Linus' Anglican Kindergarten receiving a playground award.

The Minister presented a number of Kidsafe National Playground Design Awards including one to Bubup Wilam Centre for Early Learning at Thomastown and to the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens Playspace and also presented a number of Kidsafe Life Memberships.

Download the Kidsafe Safety Audit for the fridge door

For more of Josie's Blog click here. http://kidsafedayblog.wordpress.com/

Media Enquiries:
Ron Smith, Corporate Media Communications, Kidsafe Victoria - Mobile: 0417 329 201

Kidsafe Top 12 Injuries Fact Sheet

Fact 1 - Child injury in Australia
Did you know that more children die from injury than of cancer, asthma and infectious diseases combined? Each year, approximately 250 Australian children are killed and 58,000 hospitalised by unintentional injuries. Help keep your child safe today by checking out Kidsafe's Home Safety Checklist!

Fact 2 - Falls from windows
Did you know that 50 children are taken to hospital each year due to falls from a window or balcony? Ensure your child is safe by making sure windows cannot be opened more than 9-10cm except by an adult.

Fact 3 - Poisons
Did you know that paracetamol is one of the leading causes of poisoning from drugs and medication in children? Keep your medications and poisons in a child resistant cupboard out of reach of children. To find out what else you can do to prevent poisoning, please check out Kidsafe's fact sheet here. Make sure you have the Poisons Information Centre number by the phone in case of an emergency!

Fact 4 - Water
Are your children able to access your pet's bowl? It only takes 20 seconds and a few centimetres of water for a child to drown. Check out the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia's water safety fact sheet for more information on how to keep your child safe around water.

Fact 5 - Safe sleeping
The number of deaths from Sudden Infant Syndrome (SIDS) has decreased dramatically in recent years. However there are a large number of babies still dying from fatal sleeping accidents in unsafe sleeping situations. Make sure your baby sleeps on their back, in their own cot and with their head and face uncovered. Click here to create a sound and safe sleep for your child.

Fact 6 - Button batteries
Did you know when a button battery is swallowed it can burn through your child's oesophagus in two hours? An estimated four children per week in Australia present to an emergency department with a button battery related injury. Are all your household battery components secured? For tips, please visit www.thebatterycontrolled.com.

Fact 7 - Child restraints
Did you know that studies have shown that almost 70% of all children are restrained incorrectly? And that children are approximately 37% safer when seated in the back seat? For more information on the selection and use of restraints please visit Kidsafe NSW's Seat Me Safely program.

Fact 8 - Blind and curtain cords
At least 15 Australian children have died in incidents related to blind and curtain cord strangulation since the early 1990's. Are your blind cords fixed to the wall or secured at least 1.5 metres about the ground to so your child cannot reach them? Visit the product safety website to learn how to protect your child.

Fact 9 - Toy safety
Did you know that baby walkers can cause serious injuries and are actually banned in Canada? Do you know why? For more information, follow this link.

Fact 10 - Driveway safety
Did you know most driveway run over incidents occur in the morning between 8am- 10am and later in the afternoon between 4pm and 6pm? Make sure you Supervise, Separate and See at all times. Check out our tips.

Fact 11 - Children left unattended in cars
Did you know that on a summer's day the temperature inside a parked car can be over 20 degrees hotter than the outside temperature? And that 75% of the temperature increase occurs in the first 5 minutes of leaving your child in a car? Keep your child safe and check out our hot car tips.

Fact 12 - Scalds
Did you know that hot water at 60 degrees C takes 1 second to cause a 3rd degree burn to a child's skin, yet at 50 degrees C it takes 5 minutes? The water temperature in many older homes can come out well over 60 degrees C. Speak to a licensed plumber about lowering the delivery temperature of water in your bathroom / ensuite to 50 degrees C. For more tips please click here.

Media Enquiries:
Ron Smith - Media Communications, Kidsafe - Mobile: 0417 329 201