In Australia, injuries remain the number one cause of death among children over the age of one with a cost to the nation of over $212 million each year, and a mean cost per child of $3,119. In NSW alone, around 60 children (aged 1-16 years) die as a result of an unintentional injury, and a further 20,000 are hospitalised each year.

In response, NSW child safety and health experts from Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, NeuRA and Kidsafe NSW, joined forces to develop the Child Safety Good Practice Guide. This resource, funded by NSW Health, aims to reduce unintentional childhood injuries that lead to hospitalisation or death by providing a summary of good practice, to the extent it is known, for each of the leading causes of injury to children in NSW.

The Australian edition of the Child Safety Good Practice Guide builds on previous work by child safety researchers from around the globe. The first Guide was developed by the European Child Safety Alliance in 2006, and saw significant success across the world. The 2017 Australian publication incorporates a new section on safety guidelines for children in sport and includes: cricket, soccer, horse-riding, cycling, baseball, skateboarding, hockey and snowboarding, as well as quad-bikes, and other off-the-road vehicles.

The purpose of the Australian edition of the Child Safety Good Practice Guide is to provide practitioners, decision makers, and legislators with an evidence-focused resource, relevant to the Australian setting, on which they can base their work, funding and recommendations.

To download the guide, click here.