Child Safety Week is the brainchild of the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) and aims to raise the profile of child safety across the UK.
We all have stories of near misses and accidents as our children grow up and no doubt look back to see what we could have done to avoid the accident happening or how we reacted at the time. I know when my son scalded himself with pasta sauce, I was in a panic but did remember to put his face under cold running water. Did I do it for 15 minutes? Probably not! Would I have known more had I done a First Aid Course? Absolutely!
According to RoSPA, under 5’s are particularly at risk of being injured at home with falls being the most frequent occurrence, followed by threats to breathing including suffocation, strangulation and choking.
Did you know that over 67,000 children experience accidents in the kitchen? 43,000 of those are aged between 0 – 4 years of age.
Source: Consumer Safety Unity 24th Annual report. Dept Trade & Industry
We all want to keep our children safe no matter their age, but as they grow up, they also need freedom and to have the ability to learn to manage the risks around them. Having the knowledge of these risks and helping to minimise them can give you peace of mind that you have done everything you can. Accidents will happen and knowing how to react quickly and confidently should not be overestimated. Knowing the risks and making your home as safe as possible is a great start. Knowing what to do if the worst should happen is the next logical step, booking a place on a First Aid course maybe?
This year the theme is “Safety Made Simple” with the focus being on creating everyday habits to avoid severe accidents including:
- Burn prevention
- Your dog and your new baby
- Safety around dogs
- Breathe easy
- Falls
- Preventing poisoning
- Road safety
- Button batteries
- Water safety
- Fire safety
There are great handouts for both parents and practitioners on the Child Safety Week webpage, which include fun dot to dots, a safety quiz and even a wordsearch!
For more information on upcoming First Aid courses, check out our public course listings.
Keep safe and learn First Aid – it really is that simple.