What a weekend we had at the Pregnancy, Baby and Children’s Expo after a long wait! We had a great time meeting so many families and are looking forward to supporting you all in your parenting / caring journey.

We have a packed e-news for you this month – we are excited to launch our new ‘professionals‘ portal on our website, specifically for MCH nurses, community organisations, councils and early childhood educators. If you work in any of these areas, please do take the time to review and provide us with your feedback.

We are also really excited to announce our collaboration with Emergcare, where we will be providing first aid, injury prevention and mental health support to first time parents and carers – such an important service, particularly at a time when other support services may not be accessible to many.

One of the most impactful parts of our month was working with Eve and her amazingly supportive family, to share the tragic loss of her daughter Pippa in a driveway incident.

We were also pleased to support Campaspe Shire in retaining their swimming pools for the time being – what a great response from the community to stand up for what they believe in.

Happy reading, stay safe and well and if you are looking for a great night out – as well as a chance to support our work – please book in for our Gala Ball, which will now be held on Saturday 28th May.

Please follow our Facebook and Instagram pages to keep up to date with our latest tips and advice.

 

 

Driveway Safety Community Awareness Campaign

Sadly, every week one child is run-over in a driveway in Australia.

Earlier this month we launched our new ‘Driveway Safety Community Awareness Campaign’, which aims to raise awareness of the dangers that driveways pose for children and reduce the number of driveway run-over incidents across Victoria.

The launch of the campaign, backed by the Transport Accident Commission (TAC), coincided with the busy back-to-school period, serving as a timely reminder for motorists to be extra vigilant in and around driveways, car parks and roads. The launch generated statewide media coverage on television, radio, and print media.

The campaign includes a new video, a range of educational materials, comprehensive social media campaign, widespread public advertising along with radio community service announcements – all focusing on three simple driveway safety measures: Supervise, Separate and See.

We would like to extend a big thank you to Eve for bravely sharing her story to help make sure no other family has to experience what she has. Eve tragically lost her 14-month-old daughter, Pippa, to a driveway run-over incident 9 years ago on the family’s rural property when a vehicle was being moved to a different location.

Watch bereaved mum, Eve, courageously tell her story here

Read our blog with driveway safety tips and several brave parents sharing their stories

 

 

Free Baby First Aid and Safety Basics Masterclasses

Would you know what to do if there was an emergency involving your baby or child??

While prevention is always best and nobody wants their kids to be seriously injured or sick, there may be times when the unimaginable happens. In these instances, having first aid skills really can be life saving.

Kidsafe Victoria and Emergcare have teamed up with Mama You’ve Got This to provide you with a FREE 1.5-hour Virtual Masterclass all about baby first aid and some safety basics. Our first class was held this month, and there are three more coming up over the next few months – so make sure to book in quick!

In this interactive online class you will learn valuable first aid skills and safety advice to help you tackle some of the most common first aid emergencies. You’ll learn about:

• ● How to babyproof your home
• ● Child car restraints
• ● Water safety
• ● Infant and child CPR
• ● What to do if your child is choking
• ● How to care for common injuries: bruises, cuts and burns

Book here to secure your spot in a FREE Masterclass

Mama You’ve Got This also have a range of other Virtual Masterclasses that are definitely worth a look in their pre and post birth Parenting Classes Series:

• ● Ready to Conceive (Insta Live) Masterclass
• ● Preparing for Birth & Birth Recovery Masterclass⠀
• ● Baby Basics Masterclass⠀
• ● Birth Skills & Calm Birth Mindset Masterclass ⠀⠀⠀⠀
• ● Infant Essentials Masterclass⠀
• ● Pregnancy (Insta Live) Masterclass⠀
• ● Baby Basics Masterclass⠀
• ● Toddler Masterclass⠀
• ● Child Emotion & Brain Development Masterclass

 

New Research for Road and Farm Safety

This month two leading industry organisations are seeking opinions from parents and carers to help keep kids safer on our roads and on farms.

The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) is currently conducting a research project to explore the factors that influence parents’ everyday driving behaviours while driving with their children.

They are looking for parents and carers of children between 0-10 years of age to complete a 20-minute online survey – all participants can enter a draw for a chance to win one of five $100 gift vouchers.

To find out more information on the study, please visit: https://monash.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9vPZRF5neqVYBxk

 

The National Centre for Farmer Health is also conducting a study to investigate how the behaviours, attitudes and lifestyles on Victorian farms are contributing to child farm-related injury. They are looking for Victorian children aged 5 to 14 years – and their parents or carers – who live on a farm or visit regularly (at least twice a year).

For more information on the study, please visit: https://farmerhealth.org.au/injury-risk-and-safety-behaviours-of-children-on-victorian-farms

 

 

Transporting Our Most Precious Cargo

The Victorian Government is conducting new research into the safety performance of special purpose child car restraints intended for use by children with disabilities and medical conditions.

National research by Mobility and Accessibility for Children in Australia (MACA) shows that children with disabilities and medical conditions continue to be inappropriately restrained in vehicles, with over 70% of parents reporting they never received any information on how to safely transport their child.

With the support of the Transport Accident Commission (TAC), Britax Childcare & Neuroscience Research Australia, MACA has launched the Australian Safety Assessment Program (AuSAP) to test special purpose restraints against the rigorous Australian Child Restraint Standard.

The program will provide the first nationally available information about the safety and performance of special purpose restraints, helping health professionals to provide practical information and advice to families about choosing and using restraints based on the needs of their child.

Click here to read more about the world-first program

Find out more about the MACA’s other projects at the bottom of this page

 

Kidsafe in the News

Kidsafe – No Going Back On Fatal Errors: Eve’s Story
Kidsafe – We Lost Her Right Away’: Family Speaks Out After Tragic Driveway Accident
Kidsafe – Keeping Kids Safe: Driveway Runovers
Kidsafe – Twenty Seconds is All it Takes: Doubling in Toddler Drownings Amid Lockdowns
Kidsafe – Water Safety on the Agenda

Herald Sun – Nine-Year-Old’s Near-Drowning Sparks Major Triple-0 Change
Kidspot – I Saved a Baby Left in a Hot Car While His Mum Spent 40 Minutes in Spotlight
9News – Melbourne Boy Knocked Down by e-Scooter in Melbourne Days After Woman Also Hit
Mamamia – ‘10 Years Ago, My Daughter Died in an Accident. This is What I Wish I’d Known Then’

 

Product Recalls

 

SKM Associates Pty Ltd – Magnetic Balls

This product contains small, high-powered magnets that exceed the maximum magnetic strength allowed, and are also part of a permanent ban. If ingested, these magnets can cause serious internal injuries.

For more information, please click here

 

 

 

 

 

 

Etsy seller InspiredMumma – Bell Rattle

This rattle does not comply with mandatory shape and size requirements, and may pose a choking or suffocation risk.

For more information please click here

 

 

 

 

 

Keycraft Australia Pty Ltd – Novelty Toys: Googly Eyes, Flashing Candy Critters & Candy Jellyfish

These toys have an elastic cord that can stretch and wind around a child’s neck, and pose a risk of strangulation. These types of products are also under a permanent ban.

For more information, please click here

 

 

To keep up to date with all product recalls , you can sign up to receive email notifications on the Product Safety Australia website and follow ACCC Product Safety on Facebook.