Kidsafe Victoria and Neighbourhood Houses Victoria have welcomed the announcement from The Hon Jenny Mikakos that they have been awarded the tender to deliver The State Government of Victoria’s free child restraint checking program.
This potentially life-saving initiative will be officially launched in January. Events will be held at designated Neighbourhood Houses across the State.
Melanie Courtney, CEO of Kidsafe Victoria said that “It is estimated that over 70% of car restraints are incorrectly installed or used. We are looking forward to working with fitters and families across the state over the next 4 years to increase the number of correctly restrained children travelling in vehicles.”
CEO of Neighbourhood Houses, Nicole Battle said that “With over 400 Neighbourhood Houses across Victoria, we are very excited to be a part of this incredibly important initiative.
As organisations that work closely with families, many of which cannot afford to have their child restraints professionally fitted, it is fantastic that Neighbourhood Houses are going to be working with Kidsafe to make this vital service freely available within local communities.”
Incorrect use of restraints triples the risk of injury in a crash. It is essential that car restraints are the right size for the child, properly adjusted and fastened, and correctly installed in the vehicle to protect the child from serious injury and death in the event of a crash.
Families who are interested in attending a checking day near them can register their interest.
