CAPS stands for child accident prevention and safety scheme and is a multi agency organisation developed in partnership with the community to help accident prevention particularly amongst children.

Our aim at caps is to develop a multi-agency and community approach to accident prevention, which will reduce childhood accidents by raising awareness of accident prevention with monthly safety messages and first aid advice.

The scheme fulfils both local and national targets to reduce death and injury from preventable accidents, particularly amongst children. By adopting a family centred public heath approach; the scheme supports government policy drivers aimed at developing new ways of working in partnership and collaboration with others outside of the primary healthcare team.

The partnership is extensive and includes; Parents groups, community groups, sure start, homestart, schools, leisure centres, fire officers, police officers, road safety, voluntary agencies, nurseries play and toddler groups, libraries as well as health service staff from the acute trust and primary care.

• A reduction in the number of accidents to children in Preston and Longridge
• Increased family and community awareness of how to reduce, prevent and treat accidents
• The creation of a multi-agency partnership with shared vision and action, with a framework that develops and supports future partnership working
• The co-ordination and collaboration of all partners, with joining of expertise and resources in a focused and sustained approach
• The creation of an evaluative framework applied to both families and communities, and partner agencies
• The collation and use of accident statistics and audit information to inform and guide the scheme.

• An accident prevention calendar illustrated by local primary school children is available illustrating twelve key areas where children are particularly vulnerable to accidents.
• Posters are available for display in public places throughout Preston
• Monthly safety message postcards for distribution by all partners in their daily work with families have been produced
• Press coverage in local media concentrating on key messages is an ongoing priority
• Lesson plans and information packs for use in participating schools across Preston is available initially for primary schools but will be extended to 11-13 year olds
• Commissioning and organising regular training sessions and updates on child accident prevention for all staff and community groups participating in the scheme
• The development of an informative website www.prestoncaps.co.uk