National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council

What is SafePlace?

Safeplace is a NATSICC program that provides schools, individuals and organisations with the opportunity to donate new Cot and Mattress sets to an Aboriginal family that live in a remote area with a newborn baby.

 

Safeplace has partnered with organisations that specialise in pre and post natal care for Aboriginal mothers on a local level. This ensures that the items donated are received with appropriate support and advice.

 

100% of funds donated are used to purchase items. Administration and freight charges are absorbed by NATSICC.

 

Why is Safeplace needed?

In 1998, 13.5 out of every 1000 Australian Indigenous children died in their first year of life compared with 4.4 of every 1000 non-indigenous children.  In 2006, the rate of Indigenous infant deaths had fallen to 10 out of every 1000, while the non-indigenous rate stayed stable at 4.4 of every 1000.
National Indigenous Health Equality Council (NIHEC)

 

Some of the identified risk factors:

• Sleeping baby on the tummy or side
• Sleeping baby on a soft surface e.g. soft mattress, pillow, and waterbed
• Sleeping baby on a sofa (with or without a parent)
• Loose, soft and fluffy bedding, including sheepskin (also known as lambswool) anywhere in baby’s sleep environment
• Sleeping baby with face or head covered
• Exposing babies to tobacco smoke before birth or after
• Sleeping baby in an unsafe cot or in an unsafe environment

 

As can be seen above, many of these deaths are attributed to poor or no sleeping equipment for the infant.

 

Why donate to Safeplace?

Safeplace is simply a link between donors and remote Aboriginal families. The program gives donors the opportunity to directly impact and improve the lives of Australia's first people.

 

For schools and organisations, Safplace provides donating students or staff that donate with a tangible item to place their generosity into context. For example if a class raised $276 as part of a casual day fund raiser they know that they have purchased 2 Cots and Mattresses ($138 each set) for 2 families in remote Australia.

 

Additionally, donations to Safeplace are 100% tax deductible.

 

How can you help?

 

To donate a cot and Mattress Set, simply click on the paypal button to the left of this page to access the fully encrypted payment portal.

 

Should you wish to pay off line using direct debit, cheque or money order - click here for a hard copy page that can be posted to NATSICC along with your payment.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council

'The peak Indigenous advisory body to the Catholic Church'

80C Payneham Rd.

Stepney SA 5069

www.natsicc.org.au   |   craig@natsicc.org.au   | 08 8363 2963