Kidsafe WA are excited to announce the date for the 3rd Child Injury Prevention Symposium – Growing up Safely on Farms. This symposium will be a one-day event held in the Wheatbelt town of Northam, supported by the Department of Health WA, on Wednesday, 9th August 2023.
Injuries are the leading cause of death in Australian children aged zero to seventeen, accounting for nearly half of all deaths in this age group. More children die of injury than die of cancer, asthma and infectious diseases combined, and many of these deaths can be prevented. Kidsafe WA works in the community to educate and inform parents, carers, and children about staying safe at home, at play and on the road.
Australian farms are a unique setting for childhood injury prevention. For children, growing up on a farm can mean an endless backyard full of exciting places to explore. For most farming families, the home environment often doubles as a workplace, meaning the number of potential hazards can be greater than that found in a typical home. Australian farms have consistently remained a high-risk setting for child injuries and fatalities, with young adolescent children being most at risk as they become more involved in farming activities. The leading causes of childhood injury on Australian farms include drowning, quad bike injuries, machinery injuries and animal-related injuries.
This year, Kidsafe WA’s symposium will focus on the most common farm-related injuries happening in WA and the practical steps that can be taken to reduce child injury risks on farms. This event will bring together injury prevention practitioners, regional health professionals, and farming families to share their experience and knowledge of raising children safely in farming environments.
To keep up to date with this event and to hear guest speakers announced, please follow the Kidsafe WA Facebook page. Tickets are $30, including morning tea and lunch and will go on sale in the coming weeks.
Date: Wednesday 9th August
Time: 9.30am – 3.30pm
Venue: Northam Country Club, 15 Wood Drive, Northam, 6401
For more information, please contact Kristen@kidsafewa.com.au or call (08) 6244 4887.
