Organised by national children's charity the Child Accident Prevention Trust, Child Safety Week is marked by thousands of local events where families can have fun and learn about safety. There will be quizzes and competitions, safety demonstrations and checks, in-store promotions, advice from local experts and free information to take away.
Among the North East's events is a visit on Monday (23 June) by pupils from Gateshead's Colegate Primary School to SafetyWorks!, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service's interactive safety centre in Newcastle, where they will take part in a series of activities to learn about safety in the home.
Joining the youngsters and SafetyWorks! staff will be representatives from the Whoops! Child Safety Project, part of the North East charity the Children's Foundation, and Gateshead mum Donna Pryde and son Adam, three, who benefited from the first-aid training provided through Whoops!
Lucy Fisher, Community Safety Adviser with SafetyWorks!, said: "The methods we use here are Safetyworks! allow visitors to experience risk in a safe, controlled environment, assisting them through interaction to formulate preventative and coping strategies.
"We believe that the best way for people to understand something is for them to be involved. The methods of teaching we use follow the theory: tell me I will forget; show me I will remember and involve me I will understand."
Nigel Merryweather, Project Development Manager for Whoops! Child Safety Project, said: "The team at Whoops! Child Safety is grateful for Child Safety Week and the commitment shown to raising the awareness of unintentional injury and death to children.
"As the equivalent of two primary schools of children die each year from preventable accidents, it is paramount that parents, carers and teachers do all they can to promote the awareness of the risks facing children and the measures that can be taken to prevent them. Home safety is something that every parent can address, often costing much less than expected.
"Whoops! Child Safety is dedicated to providing information and education to parents, carers, professionals and children all year round and we hope that Child Safety Week encourages others to do the same."
Donna Pryde, 23, from Gateshead, explained: "I had to put the first aid training I received through Whoops! to use within a week of doing the course, when Adam - then only six months - started choking on a 20p coin.
"I tried to pull the coin out with my fingers but couldn't reach it, but because of the training I knew then to hold him upside down and give him a firm slap on the back and the coin popped out. Without the training I wouldn't have known what to do, other than ring an ambulance and by the time it arrived it might have been too late.
"Since then I've done further training with Whoops! and I'm now planning to run sessions as a volunteer to help teach others in my local community about child safety."
In the North East, almost 670 youngsters aged 0-four-years-old were admitted to hospital following accidents in the home during 2006-07, with the vast majority involving falls - 471, followed by poisonings - 136, burns or scalds - 60 and choking - 1.
A national survey of more than 1,000 parents and grandparents of under-fives, carried out by the Child Accident Prevention Trust to mark Child Safety Week, reveals that while most have a good understanding about how to prevent accidents and keep their children safe, this is often not being acted upon. The survey revealed:
- Although 90 per cent of parents and grandparents recognise that hot drinks are a danger to small children, half of those caring for children under five don't realise that a cup of tea or coffee can still scald a baby 15 minutes after it's been made.
Fact: Over 500 under fives are rushed to casualty every week because of burns and scalds. Hot drinks are the number one cause
- Although 86 per cent of those surveyed know that everyday painkillers are a danger for children, over a quarter of those caring for under fives admit to keeping them in a handbag, where children can potentially find them.
Fact: Around 20 children are admitted to hospital every day because they are thought to have swallowed something poisonous - and under fives are at greatest risk
- 87 per cent of parents and grandparents believe it's dangerous not to have safety gates on the stairs. But one in four of those caring for a crawling baby or toddler don't have a safety gate on their stairs.
Fact: Almost 800 under fives are rushed to casualty every week after falling down stairs or steps at home 4
- Over a quarter of parents and grandparents don't have restrictive opening devices on large windows. But 86 per cent know that open windows upstairs pose a real risk to young children.
Fact: Almost 2,000 under fives are rushed to casualty every year after falling from buildings. Last year, seven under fives died this way.
Katrina Phillips, Chief Executive of the Child Accident Prevention Trust said:
"Accidents are the second biggest killer of children in the UK. Six children die every week and over 2,000 are admitted to hospital 8. Most families are well aware of the dangers to children. But an alarming number don't put their knowledge into practice.
"It's not about blame. We know it's hard when you're busy caring for a family. And it's easy to think that a serious accident won't happen to your child. But taking a few simple safety precautions can make a real difference to their safety.
"Our theme for Child Safety Week is Make a change. Make a difference. We're asking parents and grandparents to think about their everyday behaviour and routines, and see what they can change to make their children safer both at home and while out and about. Every year thousands of children are killed or injured on the roads too, as pedestrians, cyclists and in cars."
During Child Safety Week, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) are launching a new campaign aimed at keeping children safe in the home. The campaign will include a range of new television and radio adverts to highlight the message that children are at high risk from accidents in the home.
Children's Minister, Kevin Brennan MP, says:
"Home is where the heart is, but for young children it's also where the danger is. We want parents to have all the information and support they need to keep their children safe. That is why we are working with the Child Accident Prevention Trust on Child Safety Week and will spend £18 million over the next three years to provide home safety equipment to parents who need our help the most.
"With children from poorer families statistically far more likely to have an accident, our aim is to help parents take the right steps and prevent the risk becoming a reality.
"The first step for all parents is to look at the home from a child's viewpoint to identify potential hazards and then make small changes to make it safer. Our campaign will give parents more information on how to do that and how to access good home safety schemes in their area. So my message is look at your home and "think kid" to keep your children safe."
Child Safety Week raises awareness about serious child accidents and provides simple, practical advice to help parents and carers keep children safe - without being over protective.
To find out more about child safety, including advice and information on how to make your home safe, visit www.capt.org.uk or www.direct.gov.uk/childsafety or contact your local Sure Start Children's Centre. Parents and schools in the North East can find out more about SafetyWorks! by contacting 0191 274 3532 or log onto the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service website at www.twfire.gov.uk and Whoops! Child Safety Project by contacting 0191 477 7366 or log onto the website at www.whoopschildsafety.co.uk.
