Kidsafe Tasmania

CHILD RESTRAINT FITTING AND CHECKING IN 2024

Our expert team will make sure your restraints are correctly fitted to your vehicle for complete peace of mind!

Seat Fitting Services Summary

For holders of a Health Care Card, we are able for offer free child seat fittings and advice, conditions apply.

We can even send you a free safety guide to your home, to help you check that your child seats are correctly and safely fitted to your car. 

For child restraint checks and fittings call:

Hobart - Peter Gillon - 0407 692 403
Launceston - Fiona - 0409 560 213
Burnie / Devonport - Shona - 0435 779 887

Child Restraint Images

Tas Fire ServiceTHE TASMANIA FIRE SERVICE WINTER CAMPAIGN

The Tasmania Fire Services website has some great Home Fire Safety fact sheets including some Simplified Chinese and Nepalese sheets.

These are available to download by clicking on the image to left, or the following link: Click here

 

These great resources really complement our Burns Awareness Month messaging.

PROTECT YOUR FAMILY THIS NATIONAL BURNS AWARENESS MONTH20 Minutes 2021
Media Release: National Burns Awareness Month 1 - 30 June 2023 - click here for national media release

20 minutes of cool running water is critical!
“If a burn or scald happens, it is critical that cool running water is applied to the area for 20 minutes. Correct first aid can make a significant difference in the rehabilitation and long-term outcome of a scald or burn injury”, said Jenny Branch-Allen, CEO Kidsafe Tasmania. 

DSC01476

Jenny was partnered at the launch by Gabby Pulbrook of the Royal Hobart Hospital Burns Unit (left in photo) and Sandra McCann of the Tasmanian Fire Service (Right).

They talked about how to prevent burn injuries and to apply the correct first aid every time.

During National Burns Awareness Month, Kidsafe Australia, in partnership with the Australian & New Zealand Burns Association (ANZBA), is encouraging parents and carers to learn how to prevent burn injuries and to apply the correct first aid every time.

According to data from the Burns Registry of Australia and New Zealand (BRANZ), in 2020/21, 1,009 children under 15 were admitted to burns units across Australia and New Zealand – approximately 19 per week.

The primary cause of injury to these patients was scalds (49%), in particular scalds from hot drinks such as tea and coffee and food (liquid or solid). The home or usual residence was the most common place of burns or scalds for both children and adult patients (76% and 58%, respectively). 

The statistics also reveal that 26% of children and 43% of adults (≥16 years) did not receive the recommended best first aid treatment for their injury, underlining the critical importance of community education on burn and scald first aid.

  

 

Filling Hot Water BottlesHOT WATER BOTTLE SAFETY

Click here to watch an important new video on using Hot Water Bottles safely, developed in partnership with the Royal Hobart Hospital Burns Unit.

 

 

NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY WEEK 14-21 MAY 2023

Kidsafe Tasmania supports the National Road Safety Week Campaign "Pledge to Drive so Others Survive".

If you would like to make the pledge you can scan the QR code (in the picture below) with your phone camera, or click on this link:

Pledge to Drive so others survive

 

 

Kidsafe Services Summary

Kidsafe works proactively around Australia with parents, communities and governments to minimise the burden of childhood injury on our health systems by increasing awareness, providing child safety education, advocacy and reviewing the causes and prevention of childhood injuries.

A range of information sheets and brochures covering child protection and child safety issues is also available free-of-charge.

Anyone interested in learning more about child safety can phone Kidsafe Tasmania on 0417 381 721 or send a request by email to jenny.branchallen@gmail.com

 

 

Summertime and the living should be easy!

Here are some tips to help you have a great summer with your kids.

Kidsafe Tasmania wishes all our families and friends a very merry & safe Christmas. Below we have put some very useful tips to help you through the holidays and ensure you have a wonderful and safe time with your kids.

"The most popular summer activities for children are biking, swimming, walking, going to the playground and going on a holiday."

 

Water Safety:

Kids Alive 2

  • Always supervise children when in and around water.
  • Children under age 5 have the highest risk of drowning. They are attracted to water, but they don't understand the risks.
  • Most drownings of children under age 5 happen when they are playing near water. Children can get into the water quickly and silently without adults being aware.
  • Older children are most likely to drown when they are swimming in a river, lake, or other open body of water. They may be used to swimming in a pool but don't understand the risks in other types of water.

Safe Celebrations:

  • Don't neglect the supervision of small children during family gatherings and holiday parties. If you plan to drink at a party, leave children at home with a trained, trusted babysitter. Be sure the sitter knows how to contact you and what to do in the event of an emergency.
  • Remember to clean up after a holiday party. Some party leftovers can be hazardous to children.
  • Be aware that other homes you visit may not be set up for children. Special care needs to be taken.

Travel Safe:

Safer Travel

  • Be sure to use appropriate car seats and seat belts for your child's age and size. If you are traveling in someone else's car, arrange ahead of time to borrow or rent the appropriate car seat for your child.
  • Check to ensure the child restraint meets Australian Standards.
  • Exercise extra caution around roads during the holidays. There may be heavy traffic, poor weather, and the possibility of alcohol use by other drivers.
  • Create safe play areas away from moving vehicles. Know where children are, and ensure they are in the care of another adult before moving vehicles to prevent driveway runovers.
  • If you must leave the car, even to run a quick errand - be Kidsafe and take your kids with you. Where possible plan car travel for the cooler part of the day, provide plenty of cool water, light snacks and make frequent stops every two hours to enable everyone to stretch their legs.

Toy Safety:

Button-Batteries_Image

  • Follow the age recommendations on toys even if you believe that your child is exceptional, as these pertain to the safety of the item.
  • To prevent choking, buy toys for children that are marked suitable for children under three.
  • Inspect toys to make sure that they don't have parts that could break off and be swallowed.

 How to be SunSmart

  • Use SPF30 or higher broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen on your child’s face, arms, hands, and any other skin that is not covered.
  • Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours.
  • Sunscreen does not completely block out all UV radiation and should never be the only method of sun protection.

 

Burns Prevention - a critical message

Videos - prevention and first aid for burns and scalds

Below are links to a range of videos on the prevention and correct first aid treatment for burns and scalds.

Burn Safety
How NOT to Treat a Burn
Campfire Safety
Hot Liquid Scalds
Preventing Burns and Scalds in Children

 

Soft Fall in Playgrounds

 

Thinking about constructing a playground or adding to the one you have? Here is some advice to help you get started.

Most playground injuries can be prevented or their severity reduced by good planning, design and maintenance to avoid playground hazards. It is important to note that the Australian Standards for playgrounds recognise that children need opportunities to experience risk and challenge in playgrounds and the standards focus on the elimination of hazards likely to cause serious life threatening injuries. The standards do not advocate risk-free playgrounds.

The following fact sheets provide some excellent advice for your playground planning:

Australian Standards for Playgrounds

Playground Hazards

Natural Playspaces

Impact Areas

Playground Surfacing

 

Keeping Your Child and Dog Safe

Dog bite

Children under five years of age are at greater risk of dog bites.

It is common for young children to be bitten while doing child-like inquisitive things- playing with the dog’s food, chasing the dog, or other things that the child thinks are play but to the dog are teasing.

Safety steps to prevent dog bites:

  • Remember any dog can and may bite
  • Keep babies and young children away from your dog, especially at feeding times
  • Ask friends and family to keep their dogs away from the children
  • Stay within reach if a dog is near children
  • Train your dog to obey commands
  • The dog should obey ‘come’, ‘sit’, commands from all family members
  • Buy the right dog for your family
  • As the RSPCA or a vet about the dog best suited to your needs

 

Dogs in Cars

Pets aren’t children, but with respect to car travel, you should treat dogs as you would young kids.

  • Your dog should always sit in the back seat, secured with a safety restraint. Don’t let them ride in the front seat.
  • Yes, small dogs are cute and may fit in your lap perfectly, but you should not drive this way or allow your small dog to lie on a dashboard or other areas in the vehicle. This causes a distraction for you and increases your dog’s chances of being injured.
  • Never leave your dog alone in the car, never leave your dog alone in the car with a child.
  • Unrestrained Dogs -Become Projectiles. The force of a collision will send any loose objects in the vehicle flying, including unrestrained pups. This is dangerous not only for the dog, but also for any other people in the vehicle who might be struck by a canine cannon-ball careening through the vehicle.

 Don’t let this happen to your dog

 

Recognising Tasmanian Grandparents' love and care for their grandchildren.

 

Kidsafe Tasmania recognises and thanks Tasmanian Grandparents for the love and care they give to their grandchildren.

Grandparents increasingly provide support for their families by minding grandchildren while
parents return to work.

We also recognise and thank grandparents raising grandchildren.

Kidsafe Tasmania understands the challenges of raising children and keeping them safe from unintentional injury and remind grandparents we are here to provide them with support.

Kidsafe provides advice on child proofing your home, how to reduce the chances of unintentional injury and correctly fitting and using child restraints.

Please contact us on 0417 381 721 to enquire on how we can help you.