The National Program for Playground Safety

Abstract

The National Program for Playground Safety initiative is dedicated to ensuring that playground equipment is constructed and maintained at a high-level of quality that will minimize the risks of injury for children. There are a number of factors that contribute to childhood injuries on playgrounds, which include inadequate surfacing materials, inappropriate height of equipment, lack of maintenance, lack of adult supervision, and lack of age-appropriate playground equipment. Attention to proper implementation of these elements in playgrounds is necessary in order to ensure a decrease in playground injuries. A program such as the National Program for Playground Safety is a dynamic initiative that focuses on the different aspects of playground safety. This model includes a blueprint of action steps at the national, state, and local levels. The National Program for Playground Safety provides major goals for playground safety, and these goals target the major areas that contribute to reducing playground injuries, rendering the program as an exemplary practice in recreational injury prevention.

Appendices

BRIO Model: National Program for Playground Safety

Group Served: Children ages 2–12 years.

Goal: Improve playground safety for children and prevent injuries.

Background	Resources	Implementation	Outcome
Most childhood injuries occur on the playground Falls represent the majority of playground injuries and are a number one cause of hospitalization among children Injury on the playground is a complex problem involving consideration of the environment, supervision, and child behavior Areas of improvement involve attending to concerns regarding Supervision, Appropriately aged playgrounds, Fall surfacing, and Equipment maintenance	Program designed to assist communities in making playgrounds safer for children Funded by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention	Goals of the program are aimed at local, state, and national levels of the government The program is advocated by governors across the US Program practices are evaluated on pre- and postlevels. Areas of improvement are suggested, and success is surveyed	Nation Plan for Playground Safety has increased national awareness and encouraged safe play Increases in playground safety have been observed since initiative inception

Life Space Model: National Program for Playground Safety

Sociocultural: civilization/community	Interpersonal: Primary and secondary relationships	Physical environments: where we live	Internal states: biochemical/genetic and means of coping
Younger children are at higher risk for fall-related injuries than older children Falls at home decline as children get older, but falls incurred through recreational activities increase Boys experience falls more often than girls There is a need for a model that can summarize and direct action regarding the complex issues contributing to playground injury	SAFE model summarizes safety issues that need to be addressed by governments, parents, city staff, children, teachers, and the community Education and advocacy efforts dictate that networking prevents playground injuries	Program targets playground injury; most childhood injuries occur on the playground Proper maintenance, inspection, height of equipment, parental or caregiver supervision, lack of compliance to safety standards are examined	Disseminating materials and advocating the program through various venues ensures that others will feel empowered to increase safe play Empirically assessed materials promote community knowledge and competence in effecting change