Keeping little hearts beating across Perth

Royal Life Saving WA’s Heart Beat Club community education course is designed to teach parents and carers of children under the age of five the basic skills they need to perform first aid and CPR for common childhood injuries. The three hour session covers child and infant CPR and first aid for incidents such as choking, poisoning and burns.

Each year Royal Life Saving, thanks to funding from the Department of Health, provides free courses for high-risk parents and carers – including those who are Aboriginal, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse, Low socio-economic status and Adolescent parents – through the Heart Beat Club Grants program. The goal is to increase their capacity to respond in an emergency and ultimately reduce the number of fatal drownings and serious drowning-related injuries in children under five years in our state.

During October six of these Heart Beat Club courses were run through the grants program at locations including Meerilinga Ballajura and Bullsbrook, East Fremantle Child Health Centre, St Munchin’s Primary School Gosnells, Child and Parent Centre Calista and Westerly Family Centre in Cooloongup. A total of 69 parents and carers took part in these courses, learning vital skills to keep their children safe.

The classes were thoroughly enjoyed by those who came along, with organisers praising the fact that “it was great to be given direct, clear and easy to understand instructions” and that “this was a great workshop, a very relevant way to connect with other families in the area.” We’re always keen to be able to share this invaluable course with as many parents and carers as possible so if you know a community group who could benefit from a Heart Beat Club grant please encourage them to click the link below and apply.

Many of our Heart Beat Clubs are made possible thanks to funding from Principal Community Partner BHP.