Sun Protection in Primary Schools
11.4.13 – LATEST NEWS ON CAMPAIGN
- Leading skin cancer and public health professionals come out in support of our campaign.
- Draft revised sun protection guidelines releases.
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Our children are at risk of developing skin cancer later in life unless more is done to protect them from harmful levels of UV radiation whilst they are at school.
In NSW, all children aged between 5 & 12 years, spend up to 7 hours a day, 40 weeks a year in the care of a primary school setting. Sun exposure in the first fifteen years is a major risk factor for developing skin cancer later in life. So primary schools have an important role in protecting children from sunburn and future skin cancer risk.
The Department of Education and Communities (DEC) Protection from the Sun guidelines have not been updated since 1997 and do not reflect what is known to be important for optimal sun protection.
If the NSW Government establishes a policy that requires all primary schools to meet best-practice sun protection standards, then principals and teachers can be more effective in reducing the risk of skin cancer later on in life for the children currently in their care. It’s that simple! QLD, WA, VIC and ACT have specific, comprehensive sun protection policies. It’s time NSW caught up.
SUPPORT OUR CAMPAIGN
Sign your name to support best possible sun protection for our children.
MORE INFORMATION
Campaign Update [7.12.12]
Briefing Paper: Sun Protection in Primary Schools [PDF]
FAQs: Sun Protection in Primary Schools [PDF]
DEC Guidelines: Protection for the Sun [PDF]
Health Professionals: Letter of support [PDF]
Chalk Your Support Photo Album
Our son is ja survivor he went into primary with Bactrimin his system making him highly susceptible to sunburn it was almost impossible to get sunscreen applied prior to breaks to allow for it to work and getting sunglasses allowed was as battle I eventually lost even though he stood the risk of blindness post radiotherapy.
All children should be adequately protected from the sun the cost to people s lives and our health system demands that all children slip slop wrap and slap at school kindly to year 12
Marian
We can make this happen!
Move now to lobby your representative and the Parliament to action the review, pass legislation, and or make regulations to lower this proved risk to our children of contracting this type of cancer.
Sun Protection Policy in our Schools is not an unnecessary action; it is a commitment and an obligation to coming generations of NSW children for a Cancer limited life.
We protect our workplaces with contemporary monitored “Sun Smart Policies”; why not our places of learning and particularly our States most valuable asset – OUR CHILDREN?