Safe Kids Israel/Beterem

Injury Facts

• Accidental injury is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 14 in Israel.

• In Israel in 1997, 141 children from birth to 14 died from accidental injuries.

• The leading cause of injury death was motor vehicle crashes, followed by suffocation, fire, drowning, and falls.

• The annual cost of child injury deaths in Israel is an estimated $41 million (U.S. Dollars).

Who We Are

Safe Kids Israel/ Beterem was established in 1995 by Dr. Hemmo-Lotem, a pediatrician, and Prof. Yehuda Danon, the founder and first Director of the Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel and the former Director of the Rabin Medical Center.

What We Do

The Mission of Safe Kids Israel/ Beterem is to prevent deaths and injuries to children under the age of 18 caused by motor vehicle crashes, bike crashes, drowning, fire and scald burns, poisoning, choking, Accidental shootings, and falls. 

Where are we now? ( July 2005 - Recent Programs)

Safe Kids Buckle Up

The Safe Kids Buckle Up project began in 2003 with a three-year sponsorship agreement with General Motors. This program educates parents and caregivers about the importance of properly restraining children on every ride. It raises awareness about correct child safety seat use, helps spread the "buckle up" message through a network of health and community service providers, and offers education and child safety seat installation assistance to families.

Children Can't Fly

It was the theme of the fourth annual Safe Kids Week observation by Safe Kids Israel/Beterem , held May 9-14, 2004. It focused on "Preventing Children's Falls from Heights," because falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations for children in Israel, comprising 56 percent of injury hospitalizations for infants under age 1 and 46 percent of injury-related hospitalizations for children ages 1-4. Communities across Israel enjoyed activities for children and parents that taught playground safety and how to make environment safer, such as installing and using window guards and bars. Safe Kids Israel/Beterem spread this information to schools, kindergartens and healthcare facilities, as well as through a radio campaign, fliers and posters in both Hebrew and Arabic. In addition, ongoing projects include home visits by nurses in six Hebrew and Arab towns to families with children who have been injured in falls. They help make the homes "fall-proof."

Safe Kids Israel/Beterem Reaches out to Arab Community

As of April 2004, Safe Kids Israel/Beterem had 17 chapters focusing on the Arab population in Kefar Yassif, Yarqua, Shedaide-Maquer, Dir El-Assad, Sechnin, Iksal, Natzereth, Dabooriah, Mokeyble, Yum El-Phachem, Arabic Haifa, Zarzir, Kefar Kasem, Jaljulia, Tira, Lod and Rahat.

Arab children represent approximately 20 percent of Israel 's total child population but are four times more likely to be injured than their non-Arab counterparts. Typical injuries include falls from stairs in unfinished houses (which are often built without contractors) and scald burns from cooking (often done on the floor, where pots and pans are within a child's reach). Since playgrounds are not common in Arab towns, children often play on roofs, balconies and stairs, increasing their risk of falling. Safe Kids Israel/Beterem is adapting its programs to meet the special needs of the Arab community.

Child Passenger Restraints

After two and half years of work, Israel has passed a new child safety restraint law. The new law specifies the ages at which children should ride in safety restraints and increased the age of children required to ride in booster seats to 9 years old. Safe Kids Israel/Beterem first promoted booster seat use in 2001, with a television and radio campaign augmenting other child passenger safety efforts.

Personal Instruction in the Maternity Ward

Safe Kids Israel/Beterem launched a project to deliver safety instructions to women who give birth in hospitals. The instructions included advice on child safety restraints and safe behaviors during the first months after delivery. The program was implemented by volunteers in five hospitals with support from the hospitals and the government.

Secondary Intervention for Injured Children

This Safe Kids Israel/Beterem program offered personal safety instruction to injured children and their families. The project included instruction by volunteers on injury risk management for each family and was implemented in three hospitals. The National Security Fund supported the project in partnership with participating hospitals.

Safety Tips for Toddlers Program  

This Safe Kids Israel/Beterem adapted program, conceived by the American Academy of Pediatrics, trains medical staff in early childhood care clinics throughout the country, who in turn better prepare parents to care for their toddlers. The program was developed and implemented with full cooperation of the Israeli Ministry of Health. To date, the program reaches 90 percent of the children born in Israel , including the Arab sector, and other unique populations such as new immigrants from Ethiopia.