Mission

Childsafe, a campaign of the Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Southern Africa (CAPFSA) and Safe Kids Worldwide, promotes optimal health and development of all children in South Africa. Childsafe aims to reduce and prevent intentional and unintentional injuries of all severity through research, education, environmental change and recommendations for legislation.

To achieve this we work in co-operation with government, industry, non-governmental and community based organisations, community groups and individuals.

CAPFSA believes that every child has a right to grow and flourish in a safe environment without the threat of being hurt.

The primary objectives of the Foundation are:

• To promote a general understanding of the nature, extent and cost of childhood injuries.
• To raise community awareness about childhood safety and injury prevention.
• To reduce the frequency, minimise the severity, or prevent the occurrence of childhood injuries.
• To serve as a resource centre to the community providing meaningful information and resources regarding childhood injuries and their prevention.
• To serve as a scientific body of knowledge regarding childhood injuries and preventative methods.
• To foster community involvement as a basis for childhood accident and injury prevention services.
• To increase the levels of participation from all sectors of the community (Government and Private organisations) to develop and implement injury prevention measures.
• To lobby and motivate for standards and legislation regarding children’s products and safer environments.

Childsafe is proud to the fact that it does not represent a drain on society but, rather a saving of life, a saving of money and saving of human potential. Over the years Childsafe has been pioneering, working quietly and consistently towards curbing childhood injuries. In the past 25 years it has achieved much of which it is proud.

The following are just some achievements over the years.

• Establishment of Gauteng Satellite office.
  
• The only paediatric injury database.
  
• Establishment of an annual child accident prevention month.
  
• Development of various educational resources such as, leaflets, posters and videos.
  
• Development of the first Life Orientation Accident Prevention Resource Pack.
  
• Development of various training courses.
  
• Presentation of information on numerous television and radio programmes.
• Extensive print media coverage on child safety.
• Establishment of a Resource Centre Instrumental in child car restraint legislation, firearms control bill, child abuse prevention.

 

Vision

 

To create a safer world for children.

Diagram indicating how the three main domains of activity of CAPFSA contribute towards a safer world for children

 

The three main programmes of CAPFSA are:

 

1. Research

2. Education

3. Advocacy, policy and legislation.