Abstract

Unintentional injury is a leading cause of death and illness among children aged 1–14 years, and causes more children to be admitted to hospital each year than any other reason. It kills at the same rate as cancer. Risk literacy – an understanding of relative risk and risk management strategies – within the population is poor and yet this is vital for preventing unintentional injury. To address this issue, RoSPA set up CSEC with support for the Department for Education. The aim of CSEC was to research, develop, pilot and roll-out effective new forms of Practical Safety Education (PSE) which would give children and young people the knowledge and skills that would allow them to manage everyday risks and hazards. These new forms of PSE are designed to be co-incidental – children and young people develop their safety awareness while doing chosen activities. CSEC now has over 100 member organisations and is developing a library of proven management tools, training sessions, online tools and leading edge research. Widespread adoption of these outputs should improve risk literacy and the eventual outcome of a reduced rate of unintended injuries.