What needs to be done and why?
Strategic Issue 1
What needs to be done
- Develop and expand youth-focused injury prevention programmes, particularly those addressing violence, substance misuse, and mental health.
- Increase access to structured recreational activities, mentoring, and safe community spaces.
- Involve young people in co-designing interventions to ensure relevance and engagement.
Why
- Hartlepool’s injury admission rate for this age group is significantly higher than the national average.
- Adolescents are more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviours and be exposed to violence or unsafe environments.
- Engagement improves uptake and effectiveness of interventions.
Strategic Issue 2
What needs to be done
- Provide free or subsidised home safety equipment to low-income families.
- Ensure follow-up home visits after health visitor assessments to support implementation of safety advice.
- Improve coordination between housing services and child health teams to address environmental risks.
Why
- Emergency admissions for falls, poisoning, and mechanical injuries are higher than national averages.
- Many families face barriers to creating safe home environments, especially in temporary or poor-quality housing.
- Early intervention can prevent long-term harm and reduce hospital admissions.
Strategic Issue 3
What needs to be done
- Implement traffic calming measures, safe crossings, and improved signage in high-risk areas.
- Expand school-based road safety education and community awareness campaigns.
- Use local injury data to target infrastructure improvements where they are most needed.
Why
- A high proportion of child KSI incidents in Hartlepool occur on 30mph roads.
- Parents and children have expressed concerns about road safety and speeding.
- Evidence shows that environmental changes significantly reduce road traffic injuries.