With the new school year underway the state government is reminding students and parents across Victoria, including in Brimbank, of the importance of being sun smart in the schoolyard as UV levels reach record highs.
The back-to-school warning follows the release of new research that highlighted the major impact exposure to UV radiation during childhood can have on skin cancer risk.
Skin cancers including melanoma are preventable by using sun protection and educating children at a young age about the dangers of UV exposure and how to stay safe in the sun.
With the back to school routine in full swing, the advice to parents is clear on how to keep their children safe – teach them to apply their own sunscreen, so they know how to do it independently before and during school, attach sunscreen to their backpack, so it can be an easy reminder to reapply at school, label their child’s hat, so they can easily grab it before heading outdoors and encourage their child to look for shady spaces while outdoors.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said Victoria’s lifesaving SunSmart program has been keeping children safe for 30 years.
“As the UV radiation increases, it is now more important than ever for kids to be taught and practice Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide,” she said.
