I hope you have all enjoyed some precious time with family over the Easter/ school holidays/ Greek Easter/ ANZAC day periods this month.
You may have seen our General Manager, Jason Chambers, popping up across different media outlets across the month, talking about how over 9 in 10 child car restraints that we have checked through our Safe Seats Safe Kids program have been incorrectly fitted or used. We have a free e-learning course you can do here and you can also book in for a free fitting to check that your bub/ child is travelling safely.
We are excited to announce some new first aid training course dates and some child car restraint training dates at the end of this email – please feel free to book directly or contact us for more information.
By this time next month, we’ll be having our ‘Night of Hope’ Gala Ball! We’d love to have as many attendees as possible, so please book a ticket – or a table if you can get some friends / colleagues to come too – and help us with our mission to keep kids safe…as well as having a great night out! A sincere thank you to some generous colleagues who are not able to make it but have kindly donated.
Please follow our Facebook and Instagram pages to keep up to date with our latest tips and advice.
National Burns Awareness Month Grants Now Open
We are excited to announce that Kidsafe Australia’s National Burns Awareness Month Small Grants Program for 2022 is now open and taking applications!
To encourage organisations to get involved in National Burns Awareness Month, Kidsafe Australia is offering small grants up to $1,000 to support organisations to deliver a project to promote burns prevention and/or burns first aid during June.
Grants can be utilised to run a burns first aid course for your organisation, implement media activities, develop and print educational materials, set up centre displays or any other relevant programs or activities that promote burns awareness during the month of June! Both digital and in-person activities or events are eligible for funding.
Don’t miss out! Applications close on Friday 6th May 2022.
For further information or to apply for a grant, please visit: https://kidsafe.com.au/national-burns-awareness-month-grants/
Keeping Pool Barriers Safe
As we move away from summer and the ‘typical’ pool weather, it’s important to be mindful that pool and spa safety is still crucial.
Regular checks and maintenance of barriers, gates and latches are an important part of keeping your kids safe. Over the past 7 months, some parts of the state have experienced flash flooding, storms and even a couple of earthquakes – all which have the potential to cause ground movement, parts of your pool barrier or gate to shift and general wear or tear.
Take a look at these checklists on our website to help you to check your barrier, gates, latches and items surrounding your pool or spa area such as trees and structures.
Pool gate latch recall
Aristo is recalling certain models of their glass pool fence latch due to a defect that may prevent pool gates from closing completely and securely. This may allow children access to pool and spa areas and pose a potential drowning hazard.
Please take some time to look at the recall notice to ensure your gate latch is not affected.
For more information on water safety please visit: https://www.kidsafevic.com.au/water-safety/
Unintentional Poisoning Risks From Medicine
In 2021 alone, the Victorian Poisons Information Centre received 19,237 calls – approximately 53 per day – about children being exposed to a poisonous substance. The large majority of these calls were for incidents involving children aged under 5.
On average, every year over 700 Victorian children (aged 0-14 years) present to an emergency department because they have accidentally been poisoned.
When you think of things that could be poisonous to children in your home, what’s the first thing you think of? Cleaning products or fly spray perhaps?
There is a far more common cause of childhood poisoning.
Read this month’s blog to learn more about the most common cause of unintentional poisoning of children, and what you can do to prevent it.
Our ‘Night of Hope’ Gala Ball
Our Night of Hope Gala Ball – held in collaboration with The Compassionate Friends Victoria – is fast approaching with tickets selling fast!
With entertainment by the incredible Matt Hetherington and MC’d by Australia’s first Apprentice Winner – Andrew Morello – it will be a night filled with fun, dancing and lots of hope for a safe future for our kids.
Proceeds from the Gala Ball will help to fund the Kidsafe Ambassador Program and The Compassionate Friends Victoria support services for families touched by serious injury or loss.
Our Ambassador program supports families to share their lived experience and potentially create a legacy for their child. We assist to create awareness, empower others, drive impact and ultimately change behaviour to save lives.
One of our families in the program – parents Ash and Matt – created The Hunter Boyle Children’s Swim Program in honour of their 2-year-old son, Hunter, who passed away in a dam drowning incident in August 2020.
This program would not be possible without the generous support of the community.
Your support will raise much needed funds to enable us to continue our critical, life-saving programs.
Tickets available now!
Lastly, a big thank you to our sponsors:
Britax, Newborn Baby, Love to Dream, Queen Elizabeth Centre and Monash University Accident Research Centre.
Upcoming Courses
Accredited Child Car Restraint Training Courses – Book Here
- Next available:
- 9th – 10th May (Notting Hill)
- 25th – 26th May (Niddrie)
Paediatric or Perinatal First Aid Training Courses – Book Here
- 7th May – Perinatal First Aid for New and Expectant Parents (Somerville and Ballarat)
- 14th May – Perinatal First Aid for New and Expectant Parents (Royal Children’s Hospital)
- 21st May – Paediatric First Aid (Geelong)
- 28th May – Paediatric First Aid (Royal Children’s Hospital)
7th & 17th May – Live Zoom classes on Paediatric First Aid
If you’re a professional interested in booking an accredited first aid training session, please visit: https://www.growthtraininggroup.com.au/kidsafe-victoria/
Kidsafe in the News
Kidsafe – New Push For Child Car Seat Safety as Research Shows Many Parents Are Installing Car Seats Wrong
Kidsafe – Nine Out of Ten Victorian Kids at Risk in Car
Kidsafe – Every Day at Least One Child is Unintentionally Poisoned by ‘Medicine’
Kidsafe – Medication Poisoning: Jason Chambers Brings Awareness with Kidsafe Victoria
9 Honey – Mum’s Warning Over Popular Pop It Toys “Please, Please Share This”
The Area News – More Australian Kids Dying on Driveways
News.com – Mum’s Harrowing Warning After Two-Year-Old Son Swallowed Small Magnetic Toy Stomach
Brisbane Times – “Hope You Sleep Well in Heaven”: Tributes Laid for Child Who Dies in Brisbane Fire
Product Recalls
Ferrero Australia Pty Ltd – Kinder Chocolate Products
A range of different chocolate products may have been contaminated by Salmonella bacteria, which can cause illness if consumed.
For more information please click here
Aristo Glass Products Pty Ltd – Glass Pool Fence Latch
This latch’s guide tabs may break to prevent the gate from closing securely. If the gate cannot be closed properly, this may not prevent children from gaining unsupervised access to pool areas.
For more information, please click here
Tiger Tribe Pty Ltd – Roly Poly Cockatoo
This toy does not comply with mandatory shape and size requirements. The yellow component of the wing may detach and create parts small enough to pose a potential choking hazard for children.
For more information, please click here
Trapz and Co – Montessori Rattle Set
This 5 piece rattle and teether set contains products that do not comply with mandatory shape and size requirements, and may pose a choking or suffocation hazard to young children.
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.
