20 Dec 2016
Christmas Message!
Hi Everyone,
I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year and to thank the community for working with Kidsafe NSW to highlight some very important child safety messages.
In this issue we have included information about:
- Purchasing safe Christmas toys
- Being so very careful around backyard pools
- Checking furniture, especially new TV’s, to ensure they don’t topple and potentially crush little children, and
- Taking care in the hot Australian sun.
The Kidsafe office has been temporarily relocated due to construction at The Children’s’ Hospital, Westmead but we hope to be back at Kidsafe House by mid-January so we look forward to visits resuming from schools, vocational education providers and community agencies.
Lastly, I would like to thank the wonderful staff at Kidsafe NSW and the highly supportive NSW Council for all the effort and expertise that they offer Kidsafe both at the state and national level. THANK YOU!
Warm Regards,
Christine Erskine, Executive Officer
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Toppling 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 it 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.
Check out this video for more information.
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| Source and photo credit: Product Safety Australia |
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Stay Safe in the Sun
Children need to be protected from the sun, even on cloudy and cooler days.
Practising sun safety with children helps them learn to include it into their daily play routine. Cancer Council NSW recommends:
- Applying SPF30+, water-resistant sunscreen regularly throughout the day
- Always use sunscreen and other types of sun protection like cloths, hats and shade
- Cover as much skin as possible
- Wear an appropriate hat. Wide brimmed, bucket style or legionnaire hats are good at protecting the child’s face and neck
- Play in well shaded areas or play undercover on excessively hot days.
- Avoid play during the hottest times of the day ie between 11am – 3pm
REMEMBER
- SLIP – clothing to cover arms and legs
- SLOP – on sunscreen
- SLAP – on the right hat
Enjoy the summer and keep your family safe from the sun!
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| Source: Cancer Council NSW |
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Congratulations Sydney Children's Hospital Network
Congratulations to Kids Health and the Learn to Stop Burns & Scalds in the Kitchen project working group! This included The Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Kids Health at The Children's Hospital Network, the BurnsTrust, Clipsal, Community Child Care Co-operative, Kidsafe NSW, The George Institute and NSW Government.
The Learn to Stop Burns & Scalds in the Kitchen included a pilot burns prevention project with Early Childhood Education and Care services for children under the age of five. This included an educator flipchart and an assortment of resources for families.
For more information about the project and to order resources for your organisation, visit Kids Health.
Click here for first aid on how to treat burns.:
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| Source and photo credit: Kids Health |
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National Kidsafe Day 2016
The aim of National Kidsafe Day is to increase awareness of unintentional childhood injuries and their prevention, as well as the valuable work of Kidsafe - the Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia, in public education, advocacy and research into the causes and prevention of unintentional childhood injury.
As part of National Kidsafe Day 2016, Kidsafe with the help of Scrat and the Herd from Ice Age: Collision Course and Former Wallaby and Fox Sport Journalist Brendan Cannon raised awareness about the importance of ensuring our children are safe on and around roads.
Ice Age: Collision Course Road Safety electronic resource kits are available for all schools and childcare centres and can be found at kidsafeday.com.au
Watch the Road Safety video with Scrat and Brendan.
These kits have information for both parents and kids with the key messages of:
- Stop, Look, Listen & Think
- Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy ride
- Wear a Helmet:Use your head, Don’t lose it!
Kidsafe would like to thank 20th Century Fox and Lendlease for their generous support in making National Kidsafe Day 2016 a huge success.
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Hot Cars
The warm days of summer have arrived! Did you know on a typical Australian summer day, the temperature inside a parked car can be 30 - 40 degrees hotter than the outside temperature? Most of the increase of temperature occurs within five minutes of closing the car.
Top tips for keeping kids safe:
- If you have to leave the car, even to run a quick errand, take the kids with you
- Lock cars and secure keys when at home to prevent children playing inside the car
- Make “look before you leave” a routine whenever you get out of the car
- Use the pay at the pump petrol stations, get your partner to fill the car, or get petrol only when there are two adults in the vehicle
For more information view ‘The Unconventional Oven’ with Matt Moran.
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Choosing Safe Toys for Christmas
Toys are an important part of childhood, helping children learn and develop, as well as entertaining them. Unfortunately, some toys can be dangerous. Poorly constructed toys or toys that are inappropriate for your child's age and level of development can lead to tragic results.
The good news according to NSW Fair Trading is that toys sold today are much safer than they were a decade ago!
However, NSW Fair Trading has asked parents be cautious when purchasing toys this Christmas after finding there are a number of items on the market that are potentially hazardous.
According to NSW Fair Trading:
Toys with small parts are a particular worry. Anything smaller than a ping pong ball or an Australian 20 cent coin could choke a child under 3 years.
See which toys failed Fair Trading's safety inspection this year - download the Christmas product safety survey 2016.
Visit Product Safety Australia for a great booklet called ‘Keeping Baby Safe’ which includes information about toys.
It is recommended that you consider the following safety tips when purchasing toys for infants and children:
- Buy washable, non-breakable toys for babies
- Check there are no small parts that can be swallowed by children under 3 years old
- Carefully examine toys to check if it contains a button battery that can be too easily accessed by a child
- Read labeling on new toys to check they are suitable for a child’s age
- If buying a projectile toy, only choose ones that have soft, one-piece darts or non-removable suction caps
- Check for ventilation before buying tents, masks, helmets etc.
- When you get a new toy, take off all the wrapping and throw it away. This includes all plastic bags and sharp plastic covers on the package.
Click here for information on the dangers of button batteries.:
For other information on toys and safe play visit the website.
You can check for choking hazards by making a DIY safety tool. Click here to download the kit.
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Mandatory Standard: Self-Balancing Scooters
If you are considering giving or receiving a self-balancing scooter this year for the holiday, make sure that you look for the Australian Standard tick mark!
This mandatory standard applies to self-balancing scooters and became effective on 17 July 2016. A self-balancing scooter is a two-wheeled ride on device with no steering grips, seats or handlebars is powered by a lithium-ion battery and rechargeable via connection to a mains power supply.
Standards Australia recently published a new standard: AS/NZS 60335.2.201, Household and similar electrical appliances – Safety – Part 2.201: Particular requirements for battery powered self-balancing personal transport devices.
Click here for more information on wheeled toys.
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| Source: Product Safety Australia |
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Kidsafe NSW Child Car Restraint One-Day Accredited Course
New course available now!
This nationally recognised course aims to provide individuals and professionals with the knowledge and skills to appropriately select, install and adjust child restraints in vehicles. On completion of this one-day course, participants will receive a Statement of Attainment for one unit of competence for Course RSCICR301A.
This course is tailor made for those transporting children on a regular basis, including:
- Education and care services educators
- Family day care educators
- Intervention support organisations
- Car dealers
- Hire car operators
Topics covered include:
- Child car restraint use
- Types of restraints and accessories
- Legal requirements
- Australian Standards
- Anchorage points and attachments
- Older and second-hand restraints
To register for a course in NSW, call Kidsafe NSW at 02 9845 0890 or send us an email: S%B3%9E%A7%B1%DF%94.
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Swimming Pool Safety
Drowning is one of the leading causes of death for Australian children under 5 years of age. Backyard swimming pools are the most common location where child drowning incidents occur.
The top five issues that cause pool and spa barriers to be non-compliant with Australian Standards include:
- Gates and doors that are no longer self-closing
- Gates and doors that are no longer self-latching
- Gates that are propped open
- Ground movement
- Climbable objects near the pool barrier
Check with your local council regarding fencing requirements and to get your pool fence certified.
Remember to always actively supervise your children within arm’s reach when they are in or near water. Supervision is only for adults, do not rely on older children to watch younger children. Learn CPR and take refresher classes regularly.
If you have a small or portable pool that holds less than 30cm of water, remember to always empty it out and store it away.
Visit the Royal Life Saving Society website for latest information on the Keep Watch Campaign and video with Matt Preston.
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| Matt Preston. Image source: Royal Life Saving |
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Poisoning from Common Household Products
Every year thousands of children need medical care for poisoning from products commonly found in and around the home. Most accidental poisonings occur to children younger than five, with children aged two most at risk.
There are many medications, household cleaners and items that can be safe when used as directed. It is when children have access to these items that accidents can happen.
If you suspect that your child has swallowed a poisonous substance, call Poisons Information Centre at 13 11 26.
Use these top tips for keeping children safe from poisons:
- Keep medicines in locked cabinets out of the reach of children
- Keep purses and handbags away from the reach of children
- Store cleaning products and household chemicals in locked cabinets, high out the reach of children
- Do not refer to medication as lollies
Click here to learn more about how to prevent poisoning in children.
In addition Kidsafe NSW and V.I.P Home Services have developed a number of resources to support safe gardening and poisons prevention around the home.
Click on the links below for safety information developed by Kidsafe NSW and VIP Home Services:
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Product recalls
For a complete list of product recalls including children's clothing, furniture and toys go to ACCC Product Safety Australia.
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Donations
Don't miss your opportunity to help "Make a Safer World for Kids"!
Kidsafe NSW is a not-for-profit charitable organisation. We rely on NSW Government grants, project funding, sponsorship and donations to deliver quality programs and resources to the community.
It is with this generous support that Kidsafe NSW is able to provide community education and injury prevention programs in the area of playground safety, road safety, home safety, and water safety. It also allows us to produce newsletters, contribute to research and advocate for child safety.
If you or your organisation is interested in supporting Kidsafe NSW, please click here to donate.
We greatly appreciate your support!
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Call or Click Kidsafe NSW
A range of information is available from Kidsafe NSW.
Click here to visit our website to find:
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Home, community and water safety information
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Playground safety information
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Road safety, including child car restraints
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Newsletters
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Information sheets
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Free downloadable resources
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Playground webinars
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Registration information
Kidsafe also has safety resources and products available to order, click here for a list of available products and resources.
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