Mapping responsibility for child safety

Child injury prevention is not only the responsibility of the health sector. Because the solutions often lie outside of the purview of health, prevention of child injury requires the development and implementation of effective strategies and policies in and between other sectors, such as:

  • Education
  • Transport
  • Justice
  • Social services
  • Environment
  • Tourism, sport and leisure

Effective prevention also requires working at various levels within a country (e.g., locally, regionally and nationally) and at times international collaboration between countries.

Young boy reading a book

The TACTICS project will explore and report on mandated responsibility for child safety by mapping interventions in six sub-national regions in the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Spain and Sweden, as well as at a national level in more than 30 countries (including the 27 member states of the EU) and at the EU level itself.

Mapping of responsibility for child injury will provide a useful tool for decision makers in understanding the multi-sectoral nature of injury prevention in their country/region, and should guide action by identifying the actors that should be engaged to ensure effective action and enhanced use of limited resources.

The mapping exercise will also support the EC's priority for child health in the context of Health in all Policies, by highlighting areas within other sectors where injury prevention policy can be addressed.