This project aims ...

• To raise awareness of child farm injuries among primary school children
• To increase children's knowledge of actions to take to prevent farm injury.
• To disseminate information and resource contact to parent's by their children..

Farms are the most dangerous workplace in Australia. The children of farming families and children visiting farms are also at risk and are dramatically over represented in the injury and mortality statistics.

"Kidsafe on the Farm" project was initiated by Dr Greg Stewart (of Daylesford) Bernard Denner (of MAN) and Kidsafe Victoria to evaluate the ability to meet the needs of educating rural primary school children and to investigate the need and benefit of an ongoing program.

The figures below (7/87-6/94) show the extent of the problem and the most noticeable gender imbalance

What's the solution?

There are two indicated strategies

• Change in behaviour or activity to reduce the risk
• An education program to support a risk reduction strategy

  Children are largely at risk because of maturational factors

•       They are smaller than adults
•       They have limited experiencee
•       Their sense of danger is poorly developed
•       Thy become increasingly mobile and independent
•       They act impulsively and take risks
•       They are influemced by peer pressure.

Community Empowerement Initiatives

The Country Women's Association has played a large part in community program instigation.

"Members are encouraged to recognise the dangers in their own community and set their own agendas to do something to make their farm environment a safe place to work and live."

Ownership by a community of the problem is recognised in that ..

 "... the empowered community that works effectively for change can bring about changes in some of the very problems that contributed to its ill health in the first place." (Minkler 1990)