A community-safety project dedicated to teaching youngsters how to stay injury free by putting them in hazard scenarios has been accredited by the LASER Alliance.
Wealden's Safety in Action scheme is now a member of the elite group of LASER Accredited organisations.
The Safety in Action programme, now in its 23rd year, helps Year 6 primary school children learn about safety by experiencing risk and this year provided a "hands-on" learning experience to more than 1,200 10 to 11 year olds from 50 Wealden primary schools.
During the learning event, children took part in activities which included risk scenarios that tackled road safety, dealing with a casualty, reporting an arson attack, water safety, farm hazards and railway safety.
The LASER Alliance, which is hosted by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, brings together a range of UK-based organisations and individuals that are committed to helping children and young people learn how to make responsible decisions about safety and risk. To enable this, its members promote practical safety education - "Learning about Safety by Experiencing Risk" (LASER).
Success in the accreditation scheme is a valuable marker to schools and other organisations that they can be confident in using the provider for LASER activities.
Errol Taylor, RoSPA's deputy chief executive, who presented the certificate, said: "The great thing about schemes like Safety in Action is that while helping educate children about everyday risks though supervised experience, the children then go home and educate their parents. Two thirds of injuries that are treated in English hospital Accident and Emergency departments are a result of home and leisure accidents. A good example set by children can be priceless.
"Our LASER - Learning about Safety by Experiencing Risk - accreditation recognises the high standard of education provided by all the partners involved in Safety in Action. It is important to encourage children to properly assess the risks so they are able to safely take part in a wide range of activities."
Councillor Claire Dowling, cabinet member for public health and community safety at Wealden District Council, said: "We are proud to be receiving this award from RoSPA in our 23rd year.
"It is a tribute to the high standard of commitment given by all the partners who help with Safety in Action every year, including Sussex Police, South East Coast Ambulance, East Sussex Fire and Rescue, Southern Railways, NHS school nurses and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, as well as Wealden's Community and Regeneration team who organise the event."
