With Christmas fast approaching, the team at Kidsafe Vic are preparing for the holiday season and reflecting on what has been a successful and busy 2018. Kidsafe Vic would like to thank you for your ongoing support and readership.
Our office will be closed from Monday the 24th December until Wednesday the 8th January. If you have any queries during this time, please email info@kidsafevic.com.au and we will respond when we return.
In the meantime, keep following our Facebook page for regular child safety information over the Christmas break! Merry Christmas to all and we hope you have a safe and happy New Year.
Children Left Unattended in Cars
With summer and the warmer weather here, we have been busy commencing promotions around the dangers of leaving children unattended in cars.
On a typical summer day, the temperature inside a parked car can be 20-30 degrees hotter than outside – this means that the inside of the car can reach over 60 degrees in a matter of minutes. Children are particularly at risk because they can lose fluid quickly, become dehydrated and suffer from heatstroke, which can be fatal.
If you are out travelling with the kids and need to leave the car, always take them with you. For more information, please visit https://www.kidsafevic.com.au/road-safety/hot-cars.
Mornington Peninsula Shire Joins Kidsafe Victoria’s ‘Do Not Leave Children in Cars’ Campaign
On Friday 14th December, Kidsafe Victoria joined Cr. David Gill, Mayor of the Mornington Peninsula Shire, and local Councillors at the Seawinds Community Hub in Rosebud, to mark Mornington Shire joining our ‘Do Not Leave Children in Cars’ campaign.
As part of the program, 100 of Kidsafe Victoria’s ‘Do Not Leave Children in Cars’ signs will be placed in local community car parks, including those at early childhood centres, maternal and child health centres, libraries and council offices.
The campaign will raise awareness about the dangers of leaving children unattended in cars amongst local parents/carers and the thousands of visitors that travel to the Mornington Peninsula every year.
We look forward to continuing to work closely with Mornington Shire to help keep Peninsula kids safe.
Victorian Government ‘Never Leave Kids in Cars’ Campaign
Kidsafe Victoria is once again proudly supporting the Victorian Government’s Never Leave Kids in Cars awareness campaign.
The Never Leave Kids in Cars campaign prompts parents to take their kids with them whenever they get out of the car, just as they do their everyday valuables, to avoid potentially tragic consequences.
To find out more about the campaign and to access copies of the campaign resources, please click here.
Water Safety Week 2018 – 20 Years of the Play it Safe by the Water Committee
On Monday December 3rd, Kidsafe Victoria joined Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp, Life Saving Victoria and other aquatic agencies at Williamstown Life Saving Club for the launch of Water Safety Week and the 20th anniversary of the Play it Safe by the Water (PISBTW) Campaign.
Jason Chambers, General Manager of Kidsafe Victoria, spoke on behalf of the Play it Safe by the Water Committee about the importance of water safety education and the work of the committee over the past 20 years.
To read more about the 20th anniversary, please visit Life Saving Victoria’s blog post here.
The launch also marked the release of Life Saving Victoria’s 2018 Drowning Report. The report highlighted that 40 people drowned in Victorian waterways in 2017/18, while a further 67 were involved in non-fatal drowning incidents. To access a full copy of the report, please click here.
Christmas Toy Safety
On Friday 14th December, Kidsafe Victoria joined Minister for Consumer Affairs, Marlene Kairouz, and Consumer Affairs Victoria, to raise awareness about toy safety for children.
Consumer Affairs Victoria inspectors seized more than 10,000 dangerous products during pre-Christmas inspections. Toys that present a choking hazard, projectiles, portable pools and household cots were among the items seized during 400 business inspections.
To help ensure toys are safe for children this Christmas, always:
- Take notice of the age recommendations – these are based on safety and potential hazards, not the intelligence of a child.
- Read the label and instructions carefully to ensure the toy is non-toxic, non-flammable and is set up/used correctly.
- Inspect the toy to look for possible hazards including sharp edges, small parts or long strings.
- Be aware of the dangers posed by button batteries – If swallowed, these coin sized batteries can get stuck in a child’s throat and burn through the oesophagus in as little as two hours, causing severe and life-threatening injuries.
- Purchase appropriate safety equipment e.g. helmets, elbow/wrist/knee guards to go with wheeled devices
Product Recalls
Target Australia Pty Ltd — Young Ones My First Sand and Water Table
Target Australia Pty Ltd — Young Ones My First Sand and Water TableThe small part on the watering can nozzle may detach and pose a choking hazard to young children. Consumers should stop using the product and return it to any Target store for a full refund. For further information please click here.
Best & Less — 10pk Baby Berry Bibs
The care label is not securely stitched into the binding of the bib. If the care label becomes detached from the bib, it may pose a choking hazard. Consumers should cut off the care labels or return the product to Best & Less for a full refund or exchange. For further information please click here.
Little Darlin — Pram Garland
The garland is not compliant with the mandatory standard for toys for children up to and including 36 months of age. Small parts (beads) may come loose from the product and pose a choking hazard. The supplier will be contacting all affected consumers by email or phone to arrange full refund and return of the product. For further information please click here
Mabel Bear — Deer Shaped Silicone Teether
The teethers are smaller than the permitted dimensions specified in the mandatory standard for toys for children up to and including 36 months of age. The product may get lodged in an infant’s throat and pose a choking or suffocation hazard. Consumers should immediately stop using the product and contact the seller to receive a full refund. For further information please click here.
