A pilot project in Glasgow aimed at reducing the number of accidents to children in the home was launched today.

The project, Starting Out Safely, will offer families information on home safety information and basic home safety equipment, free and direct to the home at the 4 key stages in a child’s first three years of life. This project differs from other safety initiatives as it provides age specific materials.

Frank McAveet, Deputy Health Minister At the project launch, said: "Children by their very nature will continue to fall off their bikes and out of trees.

One Million Children

But across the UK one million children under the age of 15 will require hospital treatment because of accidents that happen to them in and around the home. And so many of these accidents are preventable.

Delighted with Glasgow Launch

"I am delighted to launch this pack which aims to raise awareness of the potential dangers that lurk in the home. I am particularly pleased that the project is happening in Glasgow because it is also a sad and worrying fact that those living in the least well off home circumstances are at even greater risk.

This can be because of a range of factors but can include poor housing, older domestic equipment and the inability to afford some basic safety equipment.

Helpful. "These age related packs are well thought out. I hope parents will find them invaluable with the mixture of support and practical aids. It is also unique and extremely helpful that the packs are age-related because a brand new baby faces quite different risks than a two year old whose parents need eyes in the back of their heads!"

Starting Out Safely has been developed in partnership between NHS Greater Glasgow, The

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), Starting Well, the national health demonstration project on child health, One Plus and the Community.

The packs will be delivered by Health Support Workers from Starting Well, supported by project teams working intensively with families from the Gorbals, Govanhill, North Toryglen and Greater Easterhouse communities.

Starting Well combines a programme of intensive home support with a strengthened network of community-based support services for children and their parents. The project is providing intensive support to around 1800 families over a three year period.

Accidental injuries to children are a major health problem throughout the UK, with over one million youngsters under the age of 15 being involved in accidents in or around the home which require treatment in accident and emergency units. The cost to the NHS of treating these is estimated to be in the region of Ł200 million.

Glasgow tops the Scottish local authority table for the total number of emergency hospital admissions, following an accident, for children who live within the city boundaries. A total number of 2777 child accident admissions were received at A&E for the period between 1998 and 2000, of these 36% (989) were a direct consequence of a home accident.

Starting Out Safely delivers home accident information and basic support materials to families with children aged 0-3 at four distinct developmental stages of a child’s life; just after birth and then at the child’s first, second and third birthdays.

The pilot project will be evaluated to measure:

·	The impact on a parent’s knowledge and action to prevent home accidents;

·	Reported levels and trends of accidents within the project areas; and

·	Effectiveness of approach in relation to risk reduction.