Local kids get a safer start

CHILDHOOD safety was in focus last week following the launch of a new program in Casey.
More than 100 people including representatives from nine local schools turned out to the official unveiling of the SafeStart program last Monday.
Erin Cassell from Monash University Accident Research Centre and director of the Victorian Injury Surveillance and Applied Research Unit (VISAR) spoke at the event and stressed the importance of child safety in the community.
The Victorian Department of Human Services funds the SafeStart initiative, and Berwick Lodge Primary School provided entertainment on the day with students performing the Rainbow Safety Song.
The song was created by the students and teachers to show the child safety message could come from many sources.
The project aims to increase local knowledge of risks that cause child injuries and increase the capacity of the local community to respond.
Caroline Bell, Casey acting manager of community safety, said the launch of SafeStart recognised the importance of child safety in the community.
She said around 40 per cent of patients presenting at Casey Hospital Emergency department were children.
“Many of the injuries affecting children are preventable.
“With greater awareness, both by parents and also service providers working with children, it is hoped that through the SafeStart project we will see an improvement in the safety of children in the Casey community.”
Ms Bell said a recent colouring competition helped to bring home the child safety message in a fun way.
“I am sure that those students who won prizes, including new bikes and helmets, will have a lasting impression of child safety and what it has meant to them,” she said.