An independent evaluation of a home safety equipment scheme in a high-risk community: views and safety practices of families

Abstract

Unintentional injury is a major public health issue across the world. The home is the most common location for unintentional injuries for young children, with children living in socio-economically deprived circumstances most at risk of injury. The provision of home safety education, with or without the provision of free or low-cost safety equipment, has been shown to improve home safety practices undertaken by parents. An evaluation was undertaken of a home safety equipment running in northeast England. A randomly selected sample of families participating in the scheme was sent a questionnaire and data were sought on home safety practices, possession and use of home safety equipment and satisfaction with the equipment scheme. The majority of families (87.9%) reported never drinking hot drinks while holding a child and 96.2% reported almost always keeping medicines locked away. Many families (88.3%) reported that they never leave their children in the bath alone. Of families with children under one year, only just over a third (37.4%) said they never use a baby walker. Satisfaction with the scheme was generally very high. While the prevalence of many safety practices was reportedly high in families, this survey found deficiencies particularly in use of baby walkers and storage of cleaning products. Surveys identifying prevalence data on parental safety practices are essential for evaluating and informing future interventions.

Impact of the national home safety equipment scheme ‘Safe At Home’ on hospital admissions for unintentional injury in children under 5: a controlled interrupted time series analysis

“…A previous evaluation of the SAH scheme showed that it reached families at higher risk of child injuries, 16 and parents reported high levels of satisfaction, 17 equipment use and other safety behaviours. 16 However, this evaluation did not include assessment of the effect on child injuries.…”

Cost-effectiveness of England’s national ‘Safe At Home’ scheme for reducing hospital admissions for unintentional injury in children aged under 5

“…The SAH scheme provided home safety assessments, advice and supplied and fitted a range of home safety equipment to disadvantaged families with children aged under five who were receiving means-tested state financial support 18. The SAH scheme has previously been shown to significantly reduce hospital admission rates,5 reaching families with children at increased injury risk19 with high levels of parent satisfaction,20 equipment use and other safety behaviours 19. However, no economic evaluation of the SAH scheme has been conducted to date.…”