Child Safety Week is a great way to engage local families in accident prevention. And it’s really easy to take part, even with limited time and resources.
Free resources, practical ideas for engaging children and parents, hints and tips on how to encourage behaviour change – all yours by simply signing up.
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A theme for all – Turn off technology for safety
The Child Safety Week theme puts accident prevention into a context that families can relate to. It makes starting conversations easier and avoids parents feeling talked down to or singled out.
This Child Safety Week families are asked to pledge to ‘Turn off technology for safety’. The use of technology, especially smartphones, is universal. This means the theme offers an opener to engage with families across the board, including those most at risk from accidents.
Accidents often happen when we’re distracted. Serious accidents can happen alarmingly quickly, taking us by surprise.
By turning off technology at crucial times in the day, parents can give their children their focus and so keep them safer when pressures mount. Young people can stay safer too by turning off technology at certain points in the day.
Switching your phone off or to silent from 5-6pm for instance, is not a big ask, but it means one less distraction for busy parents. It also gives children the message that they are the focus. And it sets a good example to children and young people that it is good to turn off when crossing the road or other times when you need to concentrate to stay safe.