Home safety tips for parents with babies and toddlers

Here are some suggestions for good safety measures to prevent hazards or risks in the home, but it is not exhaustive. If you have any further questions, please consult with your Health Visitor. 

Tips to help make your home a safe environment for your child

Firstly, think about how your child moves around at home and what the hazards could be. To have a true reflection of what the hazards are, you could consider mimicking how your child moves around by viewing your home from their eye level, for example, by crawling on hands and knees.

It’s also important to implement safety precautions in advance of each phase of your child’s development.

When considering safety for your child in the home, it’s important to bear in mind the following:

• Tidy toys and keep areas clear to prevent tripping
• Different floor surfaces help your child distinguish between rooms
• Tuck cables and wires away
• Cover sharp edges, such as corners of tables and shelves
• Where possible, avoid having any head height obstacles
• Lock cupboards which contain breakable objects such as glass, sharp knives, medicines and cleaning products
• Doors are less dangerous when fully open or closed, use finger pinch guards if necessary
• Safeguard your children from hot cookers, kettles and irons
• Remove rugs that may cause tripping
• Use a non-slip bath mat
• Keep clear pathways which lead to different rooms
• Use electrical socket covers
• Clean up any spillages as soon as they happen
• Close cupboards and drawers when finished and use childproof catches
• Keep clutter to a minimum, tidy shoes, clothing and other objects that you could trip over
• Keep waste bins out of reach
• Ensure hot drinks are not left on the floor or on surfaces where they could easily be knocked
• Ensure items are placed well back on to worktops where they can’t be pulled or knocked down on to your child
• Install stairgates before your child can crawl and climb. If you’re unsure where these should be situated or how to fit them, speak to your Health Visitor for advice and get them professionally fitted
• Ensure stairs are free from any hazards
• Where appropriate, use a fireguard

Depending on your child’s specific needs, it's worth remembering that they may need support in recognising any changes that you make in your home. Moving or adding different furniture or decorations can cause confusion and may cause an accident. Consider keeping major changes in your home to a minimum while your child is young and still learning their way around the home. If you do make changes, be sure that your child is aware of them and to give them the opportunity to explore them.

Further advice on home safety can be found at https://www.rospa.com/