A new safety guide has been launched to help Casey parents choose safe baby products. Catherine and Csaba Fazekas with son William are pictured with the new ‘Safe Product For Your Baby’ guide.
A NEW guide to help Casey parents select safe baby products and use them correctly was officially launched in Berwick last week.
Victorian Minister for Consumer Affairs, Marsha Thomson, visited Casey Hospital on Tuesday, 19 September to unveil the ‘Safe Products For Your Baby’ guide.
Ms Thomson said the guide was a key tool for a new pilot education and information campaign aimed at parents, carers and retailers of baby products in Casey.
Following the initial pilot program, it is intended to roll out the guide throughout Victoria.
“The death of an infant is always a tragedy, but it is especially so if it could have been avoided,” Ms Thomson said.
“Death or serious injury can be the unfortunate result of using an unsafe product, or using products incorrectly.”
Ms Thomson said the role of keeping babies safe was a shared responsibility between the State Government, parents, carers, local retailers, local health and community agencies.
“While the Government can and does ban or regulate products that can cause injury or even death to a baby, educating the people who sell and use the products is also needed to reduce the risks,” she said.
“This education and information campaign and guide will arm parents and carers with the information they need to ensure they are purchasing safe baby products as well as using them correctly.”
Ms Thomson said the Government had worked closely with the Children’s Hospital Safety Centre, the Infant and Nursery Products Association and Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) to develop the guide for parents and consumers.
All parents at Casey Hospital’s maternity ward will be given the free guide.
Ms Thomson said as part of the campaign local retailers and licensed secondhand dealers in and around Casey would be informed of the guide and asked to check that items they sold complied with regulations and mandatory standards.
“They will also be warned that Consumer Affairs Victoria inspectors will be visiting suppliers in the area during the year to check on compliance,” she said.
