Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24973 on 21 July 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24973 on 21 July 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The Scottish Government recognises that there are a variety of ways in which to address the issue of child safety and is fully committed to promoting the safety of all children and young people in Scotland. This means that child safety is the responsibility of a number of Scottish Government Directorates and our commitment is expressed in a wide range of frameworks, strategies and initiatives including:

The Early Years Framework, Equally Well, Good Places, Better Health, Promoting Positive Outcomes, Scottish Road Safety Framework and Don''t Give Fire a Home.

There are also a significant number of local child safety initiatives, many of which are supported by the Scottish Government. These include Child Safety Week, a safety advice resource, Fire Cadets, school travel plans, Fife Cares child safety service and Buy Wise Be Safe.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24973 on 21 July 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24995 on 16 July 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24995 on 16 July 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The Scottish Government takes the issue of home safety very seriously and is committed to promoting personal and community safety as expressed by the National Performance Framework through outcome 9: We live our lives free from crime, disorder and danger. Following the Concordat with local government, funding is no longer ring fenced for specific initiatives. This allows local authorities to identify local needs and priorities and direct resources appropriately. It is therefore the responsibility of local authorities and Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) to set safety priorities (including home safety) and to measure the impact of these activities.

At a national level, the National Community Safety Strategic Group (NCSSG), chaired by the Minister for Community Safety, brings together a range of partners to provide direction and address strategic challenges in all areas of community safety. Members of the group include the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), COSLA, the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (SOLACE), the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) and Chief Fire Officers Association in Scotland (CFOAS). Within this forum RoSPA plays a key role in providing strategic direction and challenge on issues of home safety.

The Scottish Government will continue to support and encourage local government in their endeavours as well as continuing to work closely with RoSPA and other agencies to reduce the number of accidents in Scotland. The Scottish Government also provides funding (£101,970 for 2009-10) to RoSPA to support a national home safety co-ordinator and home safety activities.

At a local level there are a wide range of activities which take place to improve home safety across the population. Some examples follow.

Fife

The Fife Cares Child Safety Scheme has the aim of reducing the number of accidents in the home involving children. As part of the scheme families are offered a free child safety home risk assessment.

Renfrewshire

The West Johnstone Home Safety Project which provides new and expectant parents with the ˜Buy Wise be Safe'' DVD which advises parents on a range of child safety issues to reduce unintentional injury rates in Renfrewshire.

South Lanarkshire

The Home Safety Cadet Scheme is an outreach programme which delivers a learning session specifically designed for P3 pupils. Through the programme, the profile of home safety is raised not only to pupils, but also to their families.

Edinburgh

The Risk Factory bases it activities on the principle that learning by experiencing situations is more memorable than just being told how to act. The Risk Factory allows pupils to discover how they react to a number of different scenarios including those that focus on home safety.

Information on dedicated home safety and play safety officers are not held centrally.

In regard to Road Safety officers, the following local authorities employ dedicated staff:

East Ayrshire

North Ayrshire

South Ayrshire

Argyll and Bute

West Dunbartonshire

East Dunbartonshire

Glasgow City

Highland

Inverclyde

North Lanarkshire

South Lanarkshire

Renfrewshire

East Renfrewshire

Orkney Islands

Shetland Islands

Western Isles

It should be noted however, that in some areas in Scotland the Road Safety Units are administered by the local authority while, in other areas, the Unit sits within the police force. In addition to the list of local authorities who employ Road Safety Officers directly the other 16 local authority areas would be covered by Grampian, Tayside, Fife, Lothian and Borders and Central Scotland Police Forces.

The Scottish Government provides funding to Road Safety Scotland for the production of a range of key education resources and publicity messages for all road users, including parents and children. The funding to Road Safety Scotland in 2009-10 is £1.870 million. In addition, the Scottish Government provides funding of £345,000 annually to Road Safety Scotland to administer the Children''s Traffic Club in Scotland.

Through Road Safety Scotland the Scottish Government is delivering a cohesive and co-ordinated suite of educational resources for children in Scottish schools, as well as road safety publicity campaigns and materials.

Road Safety Scotland is implementing an overarching strategy for road safety education, www.road-safety.org.uk/education/national_strategy/index.asp, that sits within the Scottish Government framework for education “ Curriculum for Excellence. The strategy covers all stages of a child''s road safety education within both formal education and wider community settings, from pre-school through to secondary, and includes young people with additional support needs. It aims to ensure that a core of road safety is taught to all children, with overarching links to other areas within the curriculum.

Road Safety Scotland has also developed a range of resources that are available, free of charge, for use in all schools from early years through to secondary and college, school clubs, youth and community groups, outreach education, and faculties of education. They are also available to adult literacy classes in Scotland. The resources enable children and young people to understand the nature of risk, employ safety strategies and perceive the road environment as a shared space. There are also a number of websites designed by Road Safety Scotland to support and enhance education resources and initiatives for children.