INSTALL IT FOR ANOTHER SAFETY LAYER

There are little things you can do or install to ensure your child’s safety in and around your home: ✓ Smoke detectors. ✓ Detergent bottles with child-proof lids or alternatively safer products such as non-chlorine bleach or even vinegar – evidently a great Jane-of-all-trades cleaner! ✓ A kitchen cupboard for your baby to play in. Fill it with plastic containers, empty egg boxes, old toilet rolls and so on, and change the contents every now and then for an unexpected surprise. It should (hopefully) keep your little one distracted if and when he’s in the kitchen. ✓ A bath seat/recliner is great for babies under one as even though you’re still there, it gives you a free hand and a secure space for your baby. ✓ While you can test the temperature of the water with your elbow, a bath thermometer is a great way of checking that the water’s not too hot. ✓ Safety locks on toilets. ✓ If you have play equipment in your garden, soft landing surfaces underneath equipment. ✓ Safety glass for sliding doors and large glass panes. ✓ A well-lit staircase. ✓ A well-stocked and up-to-date first aid kit in a handy place. ✓ A fire extinguisher. Make sure you know how to use it. ✓ Safety latches for cupboards and locks to keep medicines, detergents and other poisonous substances away from little hands. ✓ Safety gates for staircases at both the top and bottom of the stairs. Also make sure the banisters are secure and that the gaps between bars are small enough for children not to be able to fall or squeeze through. ✓ A pool fence. Get a 1.5m high fence or a net or if possible, both (which is what the law asks you to do). A net is often not enough as they are difficult to put on and off and often get left off. Even if your three-year-old can swim, it doesn’t mean it’s fine not to have a fence or net, as accidents can still happen in and around a pool area. Pool areas should be kept locked at all times, with the key hidden. Gates needs to be self-closing and self-latching too. ✓ A safety net for your trampoline. ✓ Non-slip mats for the bath and tiles. Dry the floor and your child’s feet immediately after his bath to avoid slipping and falling. ✓ Tape/pads for sharp corners if you don’t sand down corners. Sanding works better as pads fall off.