23 Sep 2020
Safe Barriers Save Lives
We are excited to announce that Kidsafe Australia's annual Safe Barriers Save Lives Campaign has officially launched! Matt Welsh, Olympic Swimming champion and campaign ambassador, has joined this campaign to encourage everyone to check the safety of their pool and spa barriers in the lead up to the warmer months.
Safe Barriers Save Lives backyard pool safety campaign calls on all pool and spa owners to check the safety of their pool or spa barriers to keep children safe in and around water.
Now that the weather is warming up, it is a good time to go through your backyard pool water safety checklist. Click here for the checklist to help decrease drowning hazards and ensure safe water play for children.
If you own a backyard pool:
- Actively supervise children when they are in or around the pool
- Never leave items against the fence that children can use to climb up
- Always close the pool gate
- Check that the pool fence is in good condition and the gate is self-closing and self-locking
- Keep a CPR chart in the pool area
- Make sure trees, shrubs, BBQ’s, pot plants, toys, chairs and other climbable objects are not within a 90cm radius of the pool fence
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Water safety in the home
Water can be great fun for children, especially if they are splashing around in the bathtub! But it's also a place where safety must come first so follow these tips to keep children safe from potential drowning hazards:
- Always stay within an arm’s reach of your child when he or she is in or near bathtubs, toilets or buckets
- Keep doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed
- Empty all buckets and containers immediately after use. Store them upside-down and out of children’s reach
- Keep toilet lids closed and, if necessary, use toilet seat locks
- Keep lid closed on top loading washing machines and consider attaching a safety latch
- Never leave your child alone or in the care of older children during bath time.
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Anchoring furniture
Serious injury and death to small children can be prevented by securing furniture to walls and floors.
Children are naturally curious and learn by exploring the world around them. Minor bumps and tumbles can be part of this exploration. However, in the case of unstable, large or heavy furniture, accidents may occur if a child decides to climb the furniture.
It is important to remember that even though a TV, cupboard, large appliance, wardrobe, entertainment centre or bookcase may look stable, it could topple if a child pushes, grabs or climbs onto the item. When a heavy item like this falls, the child is caught unaware or is unable to escape danger that could result in a child being crushed, suffocated, bruised, suffer broken bones or other injuries.
The good news is that there is way to prevent these types of injuries from happening in your home!
- Anchor furniture and TV’s to the walls or floors so that they become stable
- Make sure that all cupboard drawers are closed and use safety locks to prevent children using them as a step ladder
- Ensure that children’s toys, remote controls or lollies are not placed on top of furniture so that they are not attracted to climb
- Teach children not to climb furniture
It only takes a few minutes to make life at home safer. Download the new IKEA Safer Home app to help you make a safer life at home.
You can also download the Kidsafe’s Home Safety Checklist here.
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Quad bike fatalities
Newly published information from ACCC Product Safety details that quad bike fatalities have almost doubled in 2020 compared to last year. “In the first six months of 2020, 14 people, including three children, have died in quad bike-related accidents in Australia, compared to eight in the whole of last year.”
This is timely as the commencement of the NSW school holidays is drawing near and many families will be planning outdoor activities for their children.
Children under the age of 16 should not ride quad bikes or be carried as passengers on quad bikes (as per manufacturer’s instructions).
Adults should also ensure that any child-lock devices on the vehicles are activated. Keys should be removed from the vehicle when not in use and put out of reach of children.
Parents and carers should also be very cautious about buying or using any ATVs which are marketed for children. ATVs can be unstable and children do not have the capability to foresee danger or the ability to manage the moving vehicle.
For more information visit Farmsafe Australia
Image source: Kidsafe Australia
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Electricity safety
Electricity makes our lives easier, but it can also be dangerous.
To keep children safe from electricity related injury, follow these top tips:
- Always keep electrical appliances away from water
- Remember to cover your outlets to keep curious children safe from danger
- Make sure all outdoor play equipment is at least 3 metres clear from power lines
- Use electrical safety switches. These turn the power off when there is a fault before people are injured
- Unplug electrical appliance when not in use and put them out of reach and out of sight
Watch this video from Endeavour Energy to learn more!
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Water safety in the garden
It is Djiba which refers to ‘first spring’ in the Nyoongar calendar of Indigenous seasons. Warming weather is mixing with wet days. It’s a great time to check the garden to keep children safe as they play outside.
Keep them safe from creepy crawlies this year as they forage and gather in the backyard. Long grass in the garden can be a place for snakes to roam and the extra moisture can increase mosquitoes and ticks. Keep grass mowed and remove any piles of vegetation and wood where reptiles could hide.
Birdbaths, buckets, garden pots and wheelbarrows can be hazardous and pose a drowning risk for young children. They are also areas for mosquitoes to thrive. Discard stagnant water especially after rain. Mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, so try to avoid having the kids out during these times. Long shirts and pants will help avoid being bitten and if preferred use appropriate insect repellent on any exposed skin.
For more information click here.
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Trampoline safety during school holidays
Jumping on a trampoline is great fun and good exercise. School holidays can be a time that families enjoy this type of activity at both a home and indoor trampoline parks.
Some above ground trampolines for domestic use are designed with nets so that falling and impact hazards are minimised. Trampolines should be installed, used and maintained to the Australian Standard AS 4989 Trampolines for domestic use - Safety aspects.
Follow these tips to keep your children safe when using trampolines:
- Only allow one user on the trampoline at a time
- Provide constant adult supervision
- Teach your child to jump in the centre of the trampoline
- Keep toddlers away from the trampoline when in use to prevent them from going underneath the trampoline
- Place trampoline on a flat surface on well-maintained grass or a impact attenuating surface such as bark or mulch.
Remember that trampolines are not recommended for children under six years of age.
For more information:
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Kidsafe NSW Council – Thank you!
Kidsafe NSW is able to achieve our vision of A Safer World for Kids with the support of our extraordinary Council!
Kidsafe NSW Council members have experience in injury prevention research, advocacy, paediatric emergency medicine, financial services, injury prevention policy, competition and consumer law, paediatric and neonatal critical care, media specialities, rural health, Family Day Care, social change, psychology, children’s sports and exercise medicine, business and finance. Being comprised of multi-disciplinary professionals, the Council supports the efforts of the small, but dedicated team at Kidsafe.
We would like to thank each of the Council members for their commitment and support!
- Dr Kate Hunter – Chair
- Dr Nicholas Cheng – Deputy Chair
- Anitia Kariappa – Treasurer
- Dr Julie Brown
- David Howarth
- Sarah Adams
- Christopher Zinn
- Dr Emma Webster
- Scott Rollason
- Leigh-anne Shannon
- Olivia Boyle
- Professor Gary Browne
- Caitlin Frances
To learn more about the Kidsafe NSW Council members click here.
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Staying connected and metally well
There are organisations that can help if you, your family, friends or neighbours are in need of a bit of extra support.
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Award to Barbara Geens – button batteries
Standards Awards are presented to those who have made significant contributions to enable Standards Australia to attain its objectives.
Barbara Geens was recently awarded the W.R Hebblewhite Medal in the 2020 Standards Australia Awards for her outstanding contribution to button battery safety. Barbara is a Product Safety Manager and has seen first-hand the dangers of button batteries when children ingest them. Due in part to her commitment and dedication, Standards Australia developed the first ever national standard for button batteries. We congratulate Barbara Geens on this well-deserved award!
To learn more about Barbara’s contributions and other winners, click here.
Image source: Standards Australia
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Invitation to families to participate in important COVID-19 research
Are you a parent or a carer of a child 8 years or younger?
Due to the very high number of parents interested in sharing their feedback about the challenges and opportunities that social distancing/lockdown presented them in supporting the early childhood education of their child/ren during the COVID-19 pandemic, a short questionnaire has been created. An information letter with further detail can also be read via this link.
Thank you for your support.
For more information or to contact the project manager of this study, see information below.
Dr Sandra Hesterman
Senior Lecturer Education
Director Early Childhood Education Murdoch University
Western Australia 6150
Tel: (08) 9360 6305 s.hesterman@murdoch.edu.au
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