New research on child accident prevention

New research for Child Safety Week reveals that child safety is threatened by stressed parents struggling with work pressures.

The research by CAPT (Child Accident Prevention Trust) shows that the economic downturn and work demands are placing so much pressure on parents that their children’s safety is being put at risk:

4 in 10 parents (41%) say they don’t have time to even think about preventing their children having serious accidents

7 in 10 parents (69%) are exhausted by the end of the day

6 in 10 parents (60%) say work pressures mean they have less time to spend with their families

Over a half of parents (58%) say they are under more stress than their parents’ generation.

They report that accidents are the second biggest killer of children in the UK (the leading cause is cancer). In addition, serious injuries can take years to heal and the long-term psychological impact on the child and the ‘hidden’ impact on its family (for example loss of earnings for parents or lack of time and attention for siblings) can last a lifetime.

At the start of 2012, the government published its Public Health Outcomes Framework for England which covered accident. It found that injuries are a leading cause of hospitalisation and represent a major cause of premature mortality for children and young people.

Some of the examples given by CAPT to prevent child accidents are as follows:

making sure a cup of tea’s out of reach;

blind cords are tied up;

medicines and cleaning products are stored safely out of reach;

the baby is secured in the highchair;

checking your smoke alarm works;

checking behind the car before reversing out of the drive;

teaching children road safety as they walk to school;

putting hair straighteners away when you’re finished with them.

For more information about Child Safety Week visit http://www.childsafetyweek.org.uk/