Welcome to the Wandsworth Family Information Service accident prevention section.
Home is where a child should feel safest, but it can be dangerous place for little people keen to explore their environment. There’s lots you can do to make your home as safe as possible.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has a wide range of information and advice including:
- Blind cord safety – blind cords can pose a strangling risk for toddlers
- Nappy sacks – babies are at risk from suffocation from these plastic sacks
- Household cleaning products – watch a video on how to keep them safely away from children.
The Child Accident Prevention Trust works to stop children being injured and offers safety advice to families and professionals working with them. You can search for advice, including information on the following:
- Button batteries – these can kill a small child if swallowed
- E-cigarettes – the liquid nicotine refills are a significant poisoning risk for children
- Hair straighteners – these can cause serious burns
Here is information on choking first aid.
The NHS Choices website has information on what causes accidents in the home, what to do if your child is hurt and how to prevent them.
The London Fire Brigade has advice on fire safety at home. You can also make an appointment for a free home fire safety visit. Call for free on 0800 28 44 28 or email smokealarms@london-fire.gov.uk. They also have online education and quizzes available to help teach children about fire safety and how to keep safe from fire.
A safety check list has been produced by the council and the St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust. Download the form and see how your home scores – it may not be as safe as you think.
Get first aid training so if the worst happens, you know what to do. If your child is under five ask your health visitor or children’s centre for the nearest first aid course.
Junior Citizen Scheme
The Junior Citizen Scheme is a partnership initiative aimed at giving young children the skills to deal with a wide range of emergency situations, and to enable them to make a valued contribution to their local community through good citizenship.