Forum set to provide kids a safe start

CASEY Council will conduct a free SafeStart forum from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Wednesday, 6 September in Narre Warren.

Casey acting manager community safety Caroline Bell said SafeStart was a new State Government initiative focused on a community approach to childhood injury prevention by working with local government and communities.

I encourage parents, grandparents, carers and other residents to take part in this forum, which aims to bring people together to learn about SafeStart and its direction and develop strategies, she said.

Ms Bell invited residents to join maternal and child health nurses, child carers, child safety/injury prevention professionals, teachers, emergency service representatives and other residents at the forum to help make childrens safety a top priority.

She said ongoing community input was important in ensuring that the fouryear SafeStart project was able to put a range of child safety initiatives into practice.

The City of Casey will develop a network of professionals and community members to help provide ongoing support of the project and more information on joining this network will be available at the forum, Ms Bell said.

Guest speakers at the forum will include representatives from KidSafe Victoria, the Monash University Accident Research Centre and Casey Hospital.

It will be an interactive program to ensure there is adequate opportunity for information sharing, learning and brainstorming.

Lunch will also be provided and registration is essential through Casey child safety officer Adriana Hartskeel on 9705 5200.