Kidsafe Victoria is urging families to put strategies in place to reduce the risk posed by common injury hazards such as curtain and blind cords, driveways, and bodies of water, as part of a campaign to honour their 45th anniversary.
The call comes as new figures from the Coroners Court of Victoria show that 35 children aged 0-14 years died in Victoria due to preventable incidents in 2023 – almost 3 children every month.
The major causes of childhood injury deaths in 2023 were transport-related incidents, including driveway and low-speed runover incidents, children as pedestrians, and children as car occupants involved in crashes. Other significant causes included drowning, fires, choking, and strangulation.
Melanie Courtney, Kidsafe Victoria chief executive, highlighted how quickly these incidents can occur, and the significant impact they have on families.
“A split second is all it can take for an injury to occur. Children are particularly at risk due to their curiosity and lack of awareness of danger.”
“Not only did 35 families lose their children to preventable injuries last year, but tens of thousands more were forever impacted by injuries that will affect them for the rest of their lives.”
One errant blind cord was all it took for tragedy to strike Kerrie’s family and bring her world crashing down. Her grandson Lincoln had been playing in the lounge when he was found with the blind cord around his neck. Lincoln had been strangled by the cord.
“Watching your only child lose their child is devastating. The first responders that day were deeply affected, and I know the detective in the case went home, hugged his kids, and checked his blinds”, said Kerrie.
Kerrie is sharing her story as the face of the campaign in a bid to raise awareness about the dangers that items such as curtain and blind cords can pose, and reduce the number of unintentional childhood deaths.
“Maybe it can save another child and another family’s heartache. I want something positive to come from Lincoln’s tragic death.”
With over 80,000 babies born each year in Victoria, 30,000 of them to new parents and carers, Kidsafe Victoria says it is vital that every family is provided with the tools to keep their children safe.
“We need a system that enables us to aim for zero deaths because no child deaths are acceptable – particularly when they are preventable,” said Ms Courtney.
The multiple missed calls from her son that Thursday morning in September 2020 was the first warning something bad had happened.
Kerrie’s phone had been in silent mode while she was working from home during COVID and in back-to-back meetings. When she rang her son, he was already on his way to the house where her grandchildren had been staying with their mother since the weekend.
“Lincoln wasn’t breathing. That was all we knew.” Kerrie rushed to the house – only to find the street full of police cars and fire engines. One of those emergency service staff broke the tragic news to Kerrie that Lincoln had died.
Lincoln had been playing in the lounge and had liked to climb up on the windowsill and jump onto the bean bag. His Mum left the room and came back to find the blind cord around his neck. Lincoln had been strangled by the cord.
“Watching your only child lose their child is devastating. The first responders that day were deeply affected, and I know the detective in the case went home, hugged his kids, and checked his blinds.”
The mandatory standard for blinds, curtains, and window fittings (in place from 30th December 2010) requires all new window furnishings to come with warning labels and to be installed with tensioning devices. However, as this standard is not retrospective, curtain and blinds that were installed prior to 2010 still need to be made safe.
“I want ALL rental properties, including private rentals like Airbnb’s to abide by the safety standards regardless of when the blinds were installed”, said Kerrie.
“I’d like to think of it as Lincoln’s Law. Maybe it can save another child and another family’s heartache. I want something positive to come from Lincoln’s tragic death.”
