Unintentional injuries are a growing global public health concern. As progress is made in addressing the risks associated with contagious and infectious childhood diseases, so injury has emerged as a major public health problem. Injury rates can vary considerably; between countries and between the communities within them. In the UK injury prevention efforts have had a considerable success and a downward trend in injury mortality is apparent; however persistent social inequalities continue to place poorer children at greater risk of injury than their more affluent counterparts.