While more children are spending their summer at home amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Kristen Beckworth, manager of Texas Children’s Center for Childhood Injury Prevention, shares important safety tips for parents to keep in mind to minimize preventable injuries and ensure a safe summer for all. Read more
Texas Children’s Center for Childhood Injury Prevention and its Safe Kids Greater Houston Partners were recently recognized as the 2019 “Team of the Year” by the National Child Passenger Safety Board at the 2019 Lifesavers National Conference on Highway Safety Priorities in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Safe Kids Greater Houston Coalition, of which the Children’s Center for Childhood Injury Prevention is the lead organization, was selected because of its unwavering commitment to child passenger safety. The coalition conducts seat check events at over 20 inspection site that span five counties, totaling nearly 2,000 miles.
“The people on this team are special,” said National Child Passenger Safety Board Chair Tammy Franks. “Their willingness to go that extra mile in an effort to educate parents and caregivers on car seat safety is extraordinary. Their work prevents unnecessary injuries and saves countless lives.”
More than 300 nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians serve on the Safe Kids Great Houston team, which is made up of health and safety experts, law enforcement, community advocates and other volunteers. Members check more than 5,000 car seats every year and distribute more than 1,000 seats to families in need. They also raise awareness among adults and children by providing lifesaving education and resources in the areas of Child Passenger Safety, Water Safety, Home Safety and Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety.
Texas Children’s Hospital Spiritual Care Department is asking you and your faith community to consider participating in No Crib For A Bed, a program that helps provide safe-sleeping accommodations to children and families in need.
Due to limited resources, many families in the Greater Houston area are forced to co-sleep with their infants. Such sleeping accommodations pose serious risks of injury and possible death to a child. The Spiritual Care Department is trying to minimize such risks by facilitating the provision of new mobile cribs, such as Pack N Plays, and new baby blankets to families in need. Along with the mobile cribs and blankets, the department, through its No Crib For A Bed program, provides safe sleep information provided by our Childhood Injury Prevention Department.
Donations of the mobile cribs and blankets and/or money are facilitated through various faith communities throughout the area.
“We are asking you to help and to please discuss with your faith community about donating one or more new Pack N Plays and a corresponding new baby blanket,” said Chaplain James Denham. “Your help goes a long way in helping the families in our community and especially the youngest among us find protection and safety.”
For more information or if you have questions, please contact Denham or the Spiritual Care Department at ext. 4-7223.