Keeping Children Safe

More than 70 GP practices across Norfolk and Suffolk recruited for the Keeping Children Safe (KCS) studies, as part of NIHR programme designed to produce evidence on prevention of the most common types of childhood home injury (thermal injuries, falls and poisoning). Risk and protective factors for falls, poisoning and scalds were found in all five case-control studies. e.g., in the falls from furniture study, parents of injured children were significantly more likely not to use a safety gate or to leave their children on raised surfaces. Staff and parents from Sure Start Children’s Centres in disadvantaged areas participated in a randomised controlled trial of the implementation of fire-related Injury Prevention Briefing (IPB). Whilst children’s centres were interested in, and believed they could be effective in preventing injury, few had an evidence-based strategic approach and needed support to develop this. There was no significant effect of the intervention on family possession of fire escape plans (a primary outcome). However, significantly more families in the intervention arms achieved more fire-escape planning behaviours.

Click on the picture to view the the final report, a full list of publications arising from the KCS research programme and resources for practitioners and commissioners.