Southland

The reasons the judges awarded Southland One Plunket 2010’s Eyebright Award for Working Together were five-fold. In addition to their ground-breaking Seen & Safe initiative, designed to deliver greater footpath safety and car seat vigilance for Southland children, the team also secured ongoing funding for a dedicated Lactation Consultant helping give vital early support for breast-feeding Mums in the area; implemented an ACC Safety Workout for its staff in partnership with ACC; set up much-needed areas for play, changing and feeding for parents and children attending the Southern Field Days event at Waimumu; and created a new Plunket facility at Winton in central Southland.

The programme also extends to making sure car seats are safe. At each child’s well-child check at Plunket, between ages 21 and 35 months, parents are given a voucher for their child’s helmet and hi-viz vest. At the time the vest and helmet are issued, the car restraint is checked for its appropriateness for the child’s age and size and advice is given to correct any errors with use or installation by car seat rental scheme staff.