Keeping Kids Safe- Advocacy & Awareness: W.A.T.C.H.’s #SHOUTsafety campaign is a call to action emphasizing the importance of sharing safety information to help keep kids safe. W.A.T.C.H. works to inform families about toy hazards and to reduce preventable injuries to children. Increased dissemination of timely and detailed information about safety issues allows more consumers to make informed decisions when choosing children’s products and activities. Armed with information about what types of defects have been associated with injuries in the past, families and caregivers can better identify safety red flags. Thanks in part to the efforts of W.A.T.C.H., toy safety has become an active conversation that has led to significant changes in the industry and increased regulations. Through this campaign and other year-round efforts, W.A.T.C.H. strives to encourage safer manufacture, design and marketing of products before they enter the channels of commerce and to promote increased transparency and reporting by manufacturers when safety issues arise. As a result of advocacy, the industry and regulators continue to be held accountable to make safety a priority and millions of toys have been re-designed, recalled, or otherwise identified to consumers. While a step in the right direction, regulations should be a floor, not a ceiling, for toy safety. There is more work to be done to prevent needless and tragic injuries to children as a result of poorly designed and manufactured toys. A key message W.A.T.C.H. shares with consumers is that while there are potentially dangerous toys being sold in retail stores and online, advocacy can truly save lives. Stay informed, know what to look for, and #SHOUTsafety with your family and community to reduce preventable injuries!
