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Policy

Community safety

Directorate
Safer Communities Directorate
Part of
Communities and third sector, Law and order, Public safety and emergencies
Policy actions  4 of 4

Unintentional harm

Unintentional injury includes falls, burns and scalds, drowning, and wider acccidents and harm.

We are working with partners to help reduce and prevent unintentional harm and injury.

Our work is particularly focused on groups most at risk which are:

  • babies and children under five
  • people over 65
  • those living in the most deprived communities

We are working in collaboration with the Building Safer Communities Unintentional Harm and Injury Executive Group to take forward a number of actions at a national level.

This includes developing guidance for professionals such as:

Improving child safety

Approximately one in nine child emergency hospital admissions in Scotland are due to an unintentional injury. 

We are developing targeted safety measures for new families to try to reduce this.

We are also supporting the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) to deliver its keeping kids safe in the home project which provides parents and carers with advice to help keep their children safe from accidental harm.

Reducing unintentional injuries in the over 65 group

Our work to reduce unintentional injuries, including those caused by falls, among the over 65s includes the development of a national falls and fractures prevention strategy. This recognises, for example, the importance of ensuring that pavements are gritted in winter and that pavements and paths are well lit and maintained.

We are developing a strategy and updated guidance on clear pathways to reduce obstruction and street barriers that can lead to falls through lack of dropped kerbs and street obstacles. 

We have also provided funding of around £600,000 to ROSPA for work around home and community safety. This has included developing and delivering bespoke courses on older people's safety and running a campaign to increase awareness of carbon monoxide poisoning. 

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