Across Liverpool accidents are a leading cause of serious injury and death for children and young people, which is particularly distressing, when many accidents are preventable.
Child Safety Week is an annual national campaign delivered by the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) which will act as a catalyst for ‘safety conversations’ and to encourage activities that will raise awareness of the steps that local families can take to keep children and young people safe.
This year’s campaign has been designed to make sure busy families have ‘Safety in mind’ and will run from Monday 6 to Sunday 12 June 2022. Child Safety Week 2022 aims to help parents build the confidence and the skills they need to manage risks to their children’s safety.
By being clear on the risks at each stage of a child’s development and knowing what simple changes can be made, parents and carers can be supported to put in place measures that can help to avoid or prevent serious accidents and injuries.
Data shared by the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) shows that in England 1 child under 5 dies every week from an accident at home and 40,000 children are admitted to hospital as an emergency with 80% of accidents to under-fives taking place in the home.
Emergency hospital admission rates are 40% higher for children from the most deprived communities and children from overcrowded homes are 3 times more likely to be injured in preventable accidents.
Older children are at greater risk on the roads and accidents peak at the age of 12. Nationally 2,300 children under 16 are killed or injured on our roads every year and children living in the most deprived areas are 3 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured as a pedestrian and 6 times more likely as a cyclist.
Cabinet Member for Social Care and Heath, Cllr Frazer Lake said: “Accidental injury is one of the biggest killers of children in the UK and children from our poorest communities are at a greater risk of being admitted to hospital with these injuries.
Knowing that many accidents are avoidable reminds us that with the right support, families can not only help prevent accidents from happening, but teach their children how to keep themselves safe.”
Director of Public Health for Liverpool, Matt Ashton said “We want children to lead active, healthy lives – full of adventure and wonder – but always balanced against the risks.
No parent wants their child to be injured (or worse) through a preventable accident, so helping people understand the real risks around safety and helping them to make informed choices for their children is key.”
Get involved
Find out more about CAPT and Child Safety Week at: https://www.capt.org.uk/about-child-safety-week
Or download the CAPT Parents Pack – which includes advice on how to prevent choking, falls, poisoning and burns, alongside promoting water and road safety.
