Ensuring children have a safe summer

Child protection is always a key issue during every summer vacation. Therefore, in recent times, Dong Nai province has focused on organizing numerous activities to raise awareness, equip children with skills, and strengthen inspection and supervision of accident and injury prevention efforts among children.

Children and parents watch a demonstration of rescue skills at the Dong Nai Children's House. Photo: N. Son

Therefore, the aim is to equip children with knowledge and skills to protect themselves; and to raise awareness and responsibility of the community and society in preventing and combating injuries and drowning among children.

Raising awareness about childhood injuries.

In response to the Month of Action for Children and to organize summer activities for children, this year, the Provincial Youth Union proactively coordinated with localities to organize the Children's Festival at 5 locations, including Bien Hoa City and the districts of Vinh Cuu, Tan Phu, Xuan Loc, and Trang Bom. Within the framework of the festival, children not only enjoyed cultural performances and participated in game booths with prizes, but also received education and guidance on skills to prevent accidents, drowning, and child abuse.

To ensure a safe living environment for children, many believe that a comprehensive approach involving families, schools, and society is necessary, focusing on preventing accidents, injuries, drowning, and child abuse, and creating an environment for children's holistic development, both physically and mentally.

Vo Trinh Binh An, a third-grade student at Cay Gao A Primary School in Vinh An town (Vinh Cuu district), said that participating in the Children's Day event at her school not only allowed her to experience various games, but more importantly, she received information and guidance on safe traffic participation skills; how to prevent drowning; and fire prevention and control. According to Binh An, this knowledge and these skills are very beneficial to her. Because in the summer, she gets more rest, play, and swim, acquiring this knowledge and these skills will help her recognize and avoid risks of accidents and drowning.

For many years, during the summer, the Provincial Youth Union and the Provincial Student Association have maintained the "Protecting Young Seedlings" volunteer team. This team travels to various localities to provide training and equip children with knowledge and skills to prevent accidents, drowning, and child abuse, helping them learn how to protect themselves; while also raising social awareness about the protection, care, and education of children.

Not only the Provincial Youth Union, but also various sectors and levels have intensified communication activities through mass media, social networks, and reaching out to individual families and communities regarding measures to prevent, support, and intervene to protect children promptly and effectively, especially preventing and combating injuries, drowning, and child abuse. In particular, the Department of Health has coordinated with relevant departments and agencies to organize numerous activities: training courses, forums, competitions, and the creation of video clips to raise awareness about preventing and combating injuries, drowning, and child abuse.

Focus on equipping with skills.

In response to the Month of Action for Children and as a kickoff to summer activities, from the end of May until now, the Dong Nai Children's House has organized many activities, including equipping children with essential skills. One notable event was the children's and teenagers' swimming competition and drowning prevention awareness campaign held on June 1st. The competition attracted over 260 participants from 70 primary and secondary schools across the province. Participating in the competition not only gave the children a chance to showcase their swimming abilities but also provided them with information on drowning prevention.

Children in Vinh Cuu district are being educated on safe traffic participation skills, how to prevent drowning, and fire prevention and control. Photo: N. Son

Notably, to help children and parents understand different swimming styles and rescue techniques, the Dong Nai Children's House invited national and international award-winning swimmers from the Sports Training and Competition Center (under the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism) to demonstrate swimming techniques and rescue skills.

Tran Gia Nghi, a student in class 3/14 at Trang Dai Primary School, has participated in the swimming competition organized by the Dong Nai Children's House twice. Gia Nghi said that she registered to participate in the competition to see how she could do better. Furthermore, participating in the competition gave her the opportunity to learn from other contestants. She was also lucky enough to watch the older swimmers demonstrate different swimming styles…

This year's "I'm a People's Police Soldier" program, organized by the Dong Nai Children's House, the Provincial Police Youth Committee, and the Bien Hoa City Youth Union, provided children with exciting experiences. They not only visited and learned about the People's Police force but also experienced being a traffic police officer; they were instructed on how to identify and use fire extinguishers, how to handle gas leaks, and how to escape in case of fire. Furthermore, during the nearly week-long program, the children also honed their life skills and social skills.

Nga Son

Mr. HUYNH NAM THANG, Deputy Director of the Department of Health:

Strengthen inspection and supervision work on preventing accidents and injuries in children.

To ensure a safe environment for children, I believe that relevant sectors, with their respective functions and responsibilities, need to strengthen inspection and supervision of localities in the implementation of measures to prevent accidents, drowning, and child abuse. Localities should regularly inspect and review areas to warn of dangers such as ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, irrigation water containers, dangerous deep pits, and construction sites. At the same time, they should strictly punish individuals and groups who cause accidents to children.

Dr. TRUONG VAN XUAT, Head of the Social Work Department, Dong Nai Children's Hospital:

Community-based first aid training

Choking on foreign objects in the airway, drowning, injuries… are common accidents in the community. With these accidents, if initial first aid is not given promptly and correctly, patients have a high chance of death or suffering severe long-term consequences. Therefore, equipping people, especially teachers in schools and staff at recreational facilities, with knowledge of first aid is extremely necessary. Dong Nai Children's Hospital regularly organizes first aid training programs for the community, schools, childcare centers, etc. Organizations needing training can contact the Social Work Department of Dong Nai Children's Hospital or call 0978600397 for assistance.

Ms. PHAM THI THUAN TRINH, Thanh Phu commune (Vinh Cuu district):

Always keep an eye on young children.

My family currently has a one-year-old child. The child is learning to walk and often grabs small objects and puts them in their mouth, so family members always have to take turns watching them, making sure dangerous objects are not within their reach. Recently, two young children from our hometown came to visit. They are both very active, so I frequently remind them to be careful when playing, especially when riding bicycles on the road. They must always ask permission from an adult and always be accompanied by an adult.

Dinh Thi Thuy Ngan, an 8th-grade student at Nguyen Cong Tru Secondary School (Trung Hoa commune, Trang Bom district):

Equipping children with skills through real-life situations.

Over the past period, the school and relevant departments have carried out many activities to raise awareness and equip students with skills to prevent accidents, drowning, and child abuse. However, these awareness campaigns are mainly conducted in the form of presentations – one person speaking and many people listening. Personally, I find that this form of communication is effective but not highly efficient. I believe that to make the awareness campaigns more effective, in addition to presentations, specific scenarios should be included to help students visualize, remember, and apply the information when faced with dangerous situations.

An Yen – Cam Tu (recorded)

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202506/de-tre-em-vui-he-an-toan-aa91847/