The UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) – young people survey on accidental injury

RoSPA recently conducted an online survey with young people as part of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). If you would like to know more about the UNCRC you can visit the website of the Children and Young People’s Commissioner at UNCRC. A summary of the UNCRC by UNICEF is also available here. The survey link was added to our website along with the following information: 

Why are we researching accidental injury in young people?

Accidents can happen in many places, including in the home, on the road, in the workplace and in and around water. We want to find out from young people about the best ways to share prevention information so that we can help children and young people avoid falls, burns and scalds, poisoning, drowning, and the many other accidental injuries faced on a daily basis.

141 responses were received, and the results showed that:

• Half of all respondents had suffered an accidental injury

• Of those injured:

  • 46 per cent had a fall

  • The most common injuries were cuts and bruises and broken bones

  • 46 per cent happened in the home environment

  • 24 per cent happened on the roads

  • 20 per cent happened in business premises

• Relating to home accidents - the top suggestions for prevention were “lessons available at school”, “use of safety gates” and “better education for parents”

• Relating to accidents on the roads – the top suggestion for prevention was “use Stop, Look and Listen”

• In response to the question “Who do you think should be responsible for preventing accidents”, the answers in order of popularity were:

  • My family

  • “Me”

  • The Government

  • School

  • Emergency services

  • Accident prevention organisations

  • Leaders of youth organisations

   

• The respondents thought that the top three best ways of getting accident prevention information to them were:  through social media, at school/college and via leaflets.