about national kidsafe day
Tuesday 23rd October 2012
National Kidsafe Day aims to increase awareness of unintentional childhood injuries and their prevention, as well as the valuable work of Kidsafe - the Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia, in public education, advocacy and research into the causes and prevention of unintentional childhood injury.
You can help us by supporting National Kidsafe Day 2012!
Did you know that more Australian children aged 1 - 14 years die as a result of injury than from cancer, asthma and infectious diseases combined? In 2005, 35% of all deaths in this age group were due to injury.∗
The majority of injuries to children are unintentional - events that are often described as "accidents". Unintentional injuries account for about 96% of injury hospital admissions and about 90% of injury deaths. Most unintentional injuries are however, both predictable and preventable.
Kidsafe, the Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia, is a not-for-profit charity that aims to prevent and reduce the incidence and severity of unintentional childhood injuries in Australian children aged less than 15 years. In 2010 we are raising awareness of the importance of keeping children safe at home: the place where we often feel the safest, is the location where over 70% of all child injuries occur.
In 2005-06, less than 2% of Australian health expenditure was for preventive services or health promotion.∗ Kidsafe works proactively across Australia with parents, communities and governments, to lessen the cost to our health systems of preventable childhood injury. Much has been achieved and continues to be achieved, often with very limited resources.
Preventing childhood injuries does not mean "wrapping children in cotton wool" but does involve supervision and creating and maintaining safer environments in which children can learn, grow and develop safety conscious behaviours. Minor bumps, bruises and grazes will always occur but things can be done to prevent serious injury and injury related deaths to children.
Kidsafe challenges Australian families and communities to make National Kidsafe Day 2012, Tuesday 23rd October, a child injury free day and help Kidsafe continue its work to Make a Safer World for Kids.
∗ Sourced from Australia's Health 2008, AIHW
Return to www.kidsafeday.com.au home page or the National Kidsafe Website www.kidsafe.com.au
