Who are CAPS?

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.

What is the Rationale?

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.

Who are the Partners?

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.

What are our targets?

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.