The aim of this launch is to communicate the safety review findings to influential policy makers and stakeholders at both the EU and national level so that they can take action. The launch will take place in the European Parliament and will be hosted by MEP Arlene McCarthy, Chair of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection.
In addition to the one in Brussels, simultaneous launches will take place in many participating countries. National Child Safety Report Cards and Country Profiles will be available for Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, and Sweden.
The purpose of the Report Cards is to assess the extent of safety measures provided to children and adolescents by examining and grading the adoption, implementation, and enforcement of national level evidence-based policies. The Report Cards are designed to provide a baseline to assess progress as well as a tool for identifying current policy gaps and suggesting priorities for action, and they describe:
how well a country is doing to make it safe for children
what priority issues need to be addressed
which good practices should be adopted to prevent accidental injuries and to save the lives of more children
The 18 Country Summary Report Card provides an overview that will facilitate European level planning to support national level efforts. The report is comprised of 12 policy topics. Nine are areas that are relevant to the safety of children and adolescents:
passenger safety
motor scooter and moped safety
pedestrian safety
cycling safety
water safety/drowning prevention
fall prevention
burn prevention
poisoning prevention
choking/strangulation prevention
Three are strategic elements to support child safety efforts:
leadership
infrastructure
capacity
The 18 participating countries have committed to developing plans as part of the Child Safety Action Plan (CSAP) initiative of the European Child Safety Alliance. CSAP is funded by the European Commission and is implemented with the help of the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), UNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO), and other national partner organizations.
The International Day of the Child 2007, on 20 November 2007, commemorates the signing of the United Nations Charter on the Rights of the Child in New York in 1989. The child rights approach utilized by this UN convention provides an umbrella for all other commitments in correlation with contributions from the national Child Safety Action Plan.
For further information:
European Child Safety Alliance
Child Safety Action Plan (CSAP)
EPHA related articles:
Home Safety Campaign: protecting children from injuries
Child Safety Good Practice Guide
Injuries and Violence in Europe - A Publication of WHO Europe
