Kidsafe Victoria

🌸 As you dive into your spring cleaning routine, don't forget to give your car a thorough refresh - including your little one's child car restraint! Here's a detailed guide to ensure those covers are cleaned safely and effectively 🚗

Despite new mandatory safety information for button batteries coming into law in 2022, each week in Australia, around 20 children are rushed to emergency departments because they have swallowed or inserted a button battery.

New research emphasises that more needs to be done, particularly in redesigning these batteries to prevent further tragedies.

You can help keep your children safe by:

👉 Storing batteries securely, out of reach and sight of children.
👉 Ensuring devices with button batteries have working child-resistant compartments. Even if the button battery compartments are secure, it doesn’t mean they are child-proof, so it’s still a good idea to store these products up high out of the sight and reach of children.
👉 Keeping spare button batteries locked away out of the sight and reach of children
👉 Acting fast—call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 immediately if a battery is swallowed and tell them what has happened.

Academics, parents call for redesign of deadly button batteries A new study reveals the horrific injuries suffered after swallowing or inserting button batteries but manufacturers aren't prioritising their redesign.

💙 Today we celebrate all dads—those with us, those we've lost, and those hoping to be one soon. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads and father figures who make a difference every day.

We were privileged to attend the Fundraising Ceremony at the Cambodian Buddhist Association of Victoria in Springvale to hear first hand of the incredible work of fellow NFP, Cambodia Vision.

We look forward to continuing to connect with the dedicated Cambodian community as together, we create a safer world for kids.

Cr Richard Lim OAM JP - Deputy Mayor of City of Greater Dandenong

🌼✨ With the early start to spring and the warm weather upon us, it’s the perfect time for a fresh start!

Poisoning incidents often happen when household cleaners are being used, or when they are left out after being used.

As you tackle your spring cleaning, remember to close the caps on your cleaning products and keep them out of reach of children, even if you’re not done with them yet. Once you have finished cleaning, make sure all products are put back in their safe storage area in a locked cupboard up high and out of reach.

What a wild and windy night! 🌬️⚡

If your home was in the path of last night’s storm, it’s now a good time to take a walk around your property and check for any uprooted trees or hanging branches that might be dangerous, especially to children playing outside.

As kids get older, they become more independent and want to do everything for themselves, which can mean that it takes a lot longer to get ready to leave! 🙄

If your little one is intent on doing things themselves, once they have completed their ‘task’ we recommend you check over the child car restraint to make sure everything is buckled in and adjusted correctly.

Have your kids been inspired by our youngest ever Olympic gold medalist Arisa Trew and taken a liking to skateboarding? 🥇

Whether they are in the backyard or down at the local skate park, it’s important they’re wearing safety gear to help protect the parts of the body which are commonly injured when falling, including their head, wrists, elbows and knees.

Our thoughts are with Kirstie, Tim and their family today on the anniversary of Blake’s death.

In August 2016, Blake tragically died when a freestanding bookcase tipped on top of him. You can learn more about Blake’s story by visiting www.kidsafevic.com.au/home-safety/tv-and-furniture-tip-overs/

We're thrilled to have been supported by at Heatherton through their Local Matters community giving program. Their generous donation goes a long way to helping our charity achieve our mission of making the world a safer place for kids.

Local Matters is a fantastic initiative where each Grill’d restaurant donates $500 every month to three community groups, letting customers decide where their support goes.

Thank you for helping us make a difference!

An unsecured child car restraint can become a projectile in a crash and cause serious injury to passengers.

👉 That’s why it’s important to make sure that all child car restraints in your car are secured, even if there’s no children sitting in them.

😲 To help reduce the risk of burns from household appliances like hair straighteners and curlers:
👉 Switch off and unplug devices as soon as you are finished using them
👉 Place devices into a heatproof pouch – some come with these safety products, otherwise you can purchase them if your appliance didn’t
👉 Always keep devices up high out of the sight and reach of children

Child car restraints that have been involved in a moderate to severe crash should not be re-used, even if no damage is visible.

This is because there could be damage to the child car restraint shell which is invisible to the eye - if there is, this can affect the safety performance of the restraint.

Some car insurance companies offer insurance which covers or partially covers the replacement of your child car restraint. If you haven’t already, it's a good idea to contact your insurer for further details.

We were thrilled to receive a Life Saving Victoria President's Award last Saturday night at the LSV Awards of Excellence for our contribution to the provision of world class water safety services! 🏆

Drowning continues to be one of the leading causes of unintentional death for Australian children under the age of 5. We are dedicated to providing families with practical information, advice and services to help make sure everyone can have a fun and safe time around water.

Secondhand nursery furniture items can be a convenient option, however it’s important to make sure they are in good condition and are still safe to use.

How can you do this? Here are a 5 important things to consider:
👉 Does the product come with an instruction booklet/manual?
👉 Is it strong, sturdy and in good condition?
👉 Does it meet the relevant Australian Standards?
👉 Has it had any modifications which make it unsafe?
👉 Does it come with all parts?

If you are unsure, it’s safest not to purchase or use the product.

For more tips on choosing and using nursery equipment, check out our free Baby Safety Guide www.kidsafevic.com.au/new-parent-hub/baby-safety-guide/

When adjusting your child’s headrest, it’s important that it is positioned just above their shoulders, but not touching them.

The pressure of the headrest resting on a child’s shoulders can make it very uncomfortable for them when travelling.

Kids grow very quickly, so it’s important to regularly check and make sure that the headrest on their child car restraint is still in the correct position.

There are a number of reasons why toddlers are at increased risk of being injured in a driveway runover incident, including their unpredictability and inquisitive nature.

For more info and advice on what you can do to help reduce the risk, please visit www.kidsafevic.com.au/road-safety/driveway-safety/

Today marks 4 years since Hunter tragically drowned in a dam on a farm in Shepparton. 😢

Since that day, Hutner’s parents Ash and Matt have worked tirelessly to honour his memory and make sure that no other family has to experience what theirs is.

WIth the Hunter Boyle Children’s Swim program supporting over 40 kids with free swimming lessons and all the equipment they need, providing culturally appropriate swimwear to local Mums, and helping to recruit and train swim teachers, Hunter would be so proud of all that you have achieved.

Tonight, we’ll be looking to the moon and remembering gorgeous Hunter, and thinking of Ash, Matt, and his little sister Millie.

Who else’s working from home day turns out like this when the kids are at home?!

Setting up a safe play area inside your home is a great way to keep your little one out of harm’s way while you do simple everyday things such as going to the bathroom, making a meal, or taking a work call

Check out our ‘Making Your Home Kidsafe’ resource for more home safety info and advice, including a handy home safety checklist - www.kidsafevic.com.au/home-safety/

Is your little one fascinated by powerpoints and forever trying to pull plugs out or turn the switches on and off?

These handy powerpoint covers allow you to restrict children’s access to the powerpoint and switches, all while leaving your appliances plugged in.

To purchase yours today, please head to our online store - www.kidsafevic.com.au/shop/micky-ha-ha-power-point-safety-cover/

You can also shop knowing that 100% of sales come directly back to a charity (us at Kidsafe Vic!) to support the vital child

📸 Behind the scenes at our video shoot last week! 🎬

We’ve got some exciting new content in progress that we can’t wait to share with you all. A big shout out to Hyundai Australia for generously loaning us a shining new Staria people mover – it played a starring role.

Stay tuned for more updates! 🚗✨

ACCC Product Safety have issued safety warning notices for two products, highlighting the possible risks of injury or death for babies and young children.

Consumers who have these products should immediately stop using them and dispose of them safely so that they cannot be used by anyone else.

To find out more, please visit www.productsafety.gov.au/news/consumers-warned-of-possible-safety-risks-with-the-use-of-baby-bottle-self-feeding-devices-and-childrens-car-seat-head-straps

This is a common issue that many families face. Sometimes it can be caused by the harness straps not being adjusted to fit the child correctly, which makes them uncomfortable.

What is the correct position that the harness straps should come from?

👉 For rearward facing child car restraints, the harness straps should come from on or just above the child's shoulders, but never below their shoulders
👉 For forward facing restraints the harness straps should come from nearest the child's shoulders but not more than 2.5cm below or above

Two minute noodles are a favourite snack for many kids, however, did you know that they are a major cause of burns and scalds?

A lot of these injuries happen when kids accidentally spill the noodles and the boiling liquid on themselves while carrying the container or eating from their lap.

The good news is there are some simple ways you can help to reduce the risk of burns and scalds at snack time:
🧊 Drain or cool the hot liquid before letting kids tuck into the noodles
🍜 Have an adult carry the bowl/container to the table from the microwave or stove
🪑 Make sure the kids sit down at the table to eat, rather than sitting with the bowl on their lap

There’s so much to keep on top of at bath time, including making sure your little ones don’t decide to drink the bath water! 🤢

To help keep them safe, make sure an adult is within arm’s reach at all times, and if you have to leave the bathroom, always take the kids with you.

Trampolines are a favourite piece of equipment for kids and a great way for them to have fun, get some exercise and develop their coordination skills.

To help you make sure your kids are safe while jumping, we’ve pulled together some of our top trampoline safety tips.

👉 Set up the trampoline in a safe place on a soft surface and away from walls, fences, overhanging branches and outdoor furniture
👉 Supervising kids is one of the best ways to help keep them safe while they are on the trampoline.
👉 Regularly check the trampoline to make sure the mat and net don’t have any holes, the springs are intact and securely attached at both ends, the frame is not bent, and the leg braces are locked.

If your child car restraint has one, always make sure the stabiliser bar - also known as an anti rebound bar - is extended out when in rear facing mode. This helps to keep the child car restraint stable.

The stabiliser bar shouldn’t be extended when in forward facing mode, it should be stored away.

Not all rear facing child car restraints come with a stabiliser bar - some of them have anti rebound properties built into their design.

If you are ever unsure about if your child car restraint has a stabiliser bar or how to use it, check the manual for advice on your make/model.