Helping parents to help their children (From Penarth Times)

Helping parents to help their children

PENARTH parents will soon be swotting up on road safety ready to teach their tots how to stay safe.

A nationally recognised children's road safety scheme will soon be introduced across the Vale of Glamorgan.

Not only will mums and dads learn the dangers of parking around school gates and near crossings, they will also be able to teach their children to be aware.

Organised by the Vale of Glamorgan Council's road safety division, the Children's Traffic Club helps parents teach their children the right way to keep safe when they are out and about near the road, whether walking, playing or travelling by car.

On children's third birthdays, parents registering with the scheme will be sent the first of a series of six books containing simple storylines and intended to increase a child's vocabulary and awareness of basic road safety terminology.

The five other books are sent at quarterly intervals.

Vale road safety manager Mike Dacey said: "Because the books are designed to be read to children, parents will benefit from an increased awareness of road safety issues important to that particular age group.

"This, in turn, develops and improves parenting skills and can quite literally be a lifesaver for first-time parents."

The scheme was one of the first national initiatives to fulfil the objectives of the 'Health of the Nation' strategy encouraging alliances between local and health authorities to reduce casualties from road accidents. It has also received the 'Prince Michael Premier Road Safety Award'.

One of the latest schemes to be launched was at the Vale's All Saints Church in Wales School. There, children Harry Lambert, Kelly Whitehorn and Shannon Phillips were shown the books by community health visitor Rose Bevan, nursery teacher Liz Martin and Mike Dacey.