Drowning
Being around water is part of everyday Australian life, whether it be at the beach, backyard pools and spas, rivers and creeks, public swimming pools or dams on farms. However, did you know that drowning is one of the major causes of unintentional death for Australian Children? In 2017/18, 18 Australian children aged 0-4 years […]
Australian playground standards
There are a number of Australian Standards relating to playgrounds and playground equipment. Full copies of these Standards can be purchased from SAI Global. Australian Standard AS 4685 Playground equipment and surfacingPart 0 – Development, installation, inspection, maintenance and operation (New August 2017)Part 1 – General safety requirements & test methodsPart 2 – Additional specific […]
Playground Hazards
A playground hazard is anything in a playspace that has the potential to cause serious injuries. Hazards differ from challenges and risks – children need opportunities to experience risk and challenge in playgrounds. Common playground hazards include: Hard surfaces under equipment Inadequate fall zones and playground surfacing Lack of maintenance, broken or faulty equipment Inadequate […]
Children left unattended in car laws
In Victoria it is an offence for a person responsible for a child to leave the child unattended for any longer than is reasonable, without making appropriate arrangements for the child’s supervision and care. This includes leaving a child unattended in a car. The penalties for leaving a child unattended in a car in Victoria include: […]
Local government community awareness kit
As part of the ‘Do Not Leave Children In Cars’ campaign, Kidsafe Victoria and the Lions Crimewatch Committee have developed a community awareness kit for use by local government. The Kits provide local councils with the tools to help raise awareness and reduce the number of children left unattended in car incidents across the state. […]
How you can join the campaign
Help to spread the message by liking and sharing the infographics on our Facebook page here and here. Download the infographics in the resources section above and include them on your websites and in your newsletters. Share the link to our hot cars fact sheet in your newsletters and on your social media accounts and websites. Fill in the order […]
‘Do Not Leave Children In Cars’ campaign
Kidsafe Victoria implemented the ‘Do Not Leave Children In Cars’ campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of leaving children unattended in cars and reduce the number of incidents across the state. Our campaign has been delivering these vital messages to the Victorian public for over 10 years. A key feature of the campaign is […]
Curtain and blind cord safety
Looped curtain and blind cords pose a significant strangulation hazard for children as they can place the loop over their head and/or get tangled in the loose cords. At least 15 young children have died as a result in Australia since the early 1990s, including two in Victoria in 2009. What can I do to […]
Poisoning
Unintentional poisoning is a major cause of injury and hospital admissions for children in Australia. Most incidents occur in children aged under 5 years of age, with children aged one to three years at greatest risk. Many products used in our homes can be potentially harmful for children. Common poisonous items found in and around […]
Safe Sleeping
In the 20 years between 1985 and 2005, deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in Australia fell by 83%. Research suggests that to a large extent, this was due to parents placing their babies to sleep on their back, rather than on their side or tummy. Despite this dramatic decrease, the current trend both […]
