Rotary Community Service Committee Assembles Childproofing Kits

On Tuesday evening, July 19, the Rotary Community Service Committee (left to right) Marie Koenig, Jennifer Hobbs, Lisa Crane, an RN with the NFP, Sara Garrett and Angie Ingalls fulfilled a Indianapolis Rotary Civic Entrepreneurship grant by assembling forty Safety 1st Essentials childproofing kits in conjunction with the Nurse-Family Partnership® (NFP), operated by the Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana. NFP is an evidence-based, community health program that serves low-income women pregnant with their first child. Each vulnerable new mom is partnered with a registered nurse early in her pregnancy and receives ongoing nurse home visits.

The NFP nurses provide a baby-safety childproofing kit to each family upon the birth of their child which includes plug protectors, door knob covers, bath thermometer, and cabinet locks. As with any gift from the program, this one comes with a lesson. Infant safety is discussed with the client and her family/relatives at a visit soon after birth. Educational information provided along with this includes the NFP handouts “How can I be safe in my home and in my neighborhood”, and “How do I keep my baby safe?” and an easy-to-read safety information brochure Additionally, the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) inventory scale is completed when the infant is 6 and 12 months old to assess learning environment, including safety and appropriateness of infant toys.