Parents are being urged to keep their children safe in the home after 18,000 under-fives were admitted to A&E in just a year.
The project has been launched ahead of Christmas by Hull City Council’s public health team.
It features a series of short videos highlighting risks to parents and carers of children aged under five.
The videos are designed to raise awareness of everyday situations that are dangerous and avoidable, such as trips and falls to scalds and poisoning, .
Last year, 18,000 children admitted to A&E for injuries including:
- 12,000 with a head injury
- 108 for poisoning (including alcohol)
- 269 scalds
- Seven road accidents
- Six firework-related injuries
- More than 4,000 other accidents.
Accident prevention specialists said the festive period can present additional hazards such as alcohol, which presents a poisoning hazard and makes adults less vigilant, and candles.
The video below highlights the hazards hiding in the home.
April Cundy, health improvement officer at Hull City Council, said: “As parents and carers, we might tend to assume we know the risks in our homes – but the statistics show that’s not the case. Lots of children are injured every year in accidents which could be prevented and these videos are designed to raise awareness of the things we should all be considering
“Accidents are usually preventable and awareness and being prepared makes all the difference. All the videos last just a few seconds.
“Most accidents children have result in relatively minor injuries, but they can be life-changing and even fatal. We’re giving parents and carers all the information and advice they need to protect their children”.
This video highlights the risks of poisoning facing children.
View all of the videos at the council’s YouTube channel.
Download a free booklet highlighting possible accidents here.
Hull City Council operates a safety award scheme for childcare settings called Focus On Safety, which is endorsed by the Childhood Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) and raises awareness of accident risk among nursery staff and parents through training and activities.
See if your provider has the award here.
