What you need for childproofing

Everything to make your home safer - in order of popularity

The home is the most common place for an accident to happen to a child. Under 5s are most likely to be unintentionally injured and each year in England there are an average of 60 fatalities, 450,000 trips to A&E and 40,000 hospitalisations. (Source)

how has this list been compiled?

It is a combination of online childproofing checklists and what a panel of 68 parents recommended to make the home safer. The “% recommended” refers to how often this item was suggested. For example, “100% recommended” means everybody said this product was necessary.

are there any essentials not included on this list?

Yes. A fireguard will be essential if you have an open fire at home.

If you have blinds or curtains with free-hanging cords, you should get a blind cord safety device to avoid any risk of strangulation.

And obviously, it’s vital to have a working smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm installed. There should be a smoke alarm on every floor of a house. If you don’t have one, your local fire service may fit one for free.

Childproofing tips

None of these products can make an environment 100% safe and should not replace supervision. It’s also important to teach a child what areas are hazardous and not to touch the oven door or a radiator, for example. A good way to discover where the riskiest areas of your home are is to get down on your hands and knees and see everything from the perspective of a baby. Here are some key things to consider.

when to start childproofing

It should definitely be done by the time your baby is on the move. Whether that’s crawling, rolling, bum shuffling or if they just skip straight to walking. Some like to do it earlier and even have everything ready in the home while still pregnant.

Avoiding burns

Keep children away from heated hair appliances, irons, matches, cigarette lighters and lit candles. Mobile phone chargers can also be dangerous. If they are plugged in and sucked on they could scald the inside of a baby’s mouth.

Always make sure hot drinks are out of reach or consider using a flask and keeping the lid on when not drinking. In the kitchen, use the back burners when possible and turn the pan handles to the back of the stove.

Never hold a baby when cooking or when carrying hot drinks or food.

Avoiding choking and poisoning

Alcohol, medicines, cigarette butts, bleach and other cleaning products can be very dangerous if swallowed. Make sure they are locked away. Some house plants, like philodendrons, are poisonous to children.

Small items a baby could choke on should not be left around. Watch out for things like buttons, coins, small toys, hard round foods, small magnets and button batteries.

Avoiding drowning, suffocation and strangulation

A child can drown in 3-5cm of water. Don’t leave small children near paddling pools or in baths unsupervised. Ponds should be fenced off or drained and swimming pools should always be fenced off.

Keep plastic bags out of reach as well as cot mobiles and any other hanging toys. As already mentioned, use a blind cord safety device if you have blinds or curtains with free-hanging cords.

Put Christmas tree tinsel towards the top of the tree as this could pose a strangulation risk.

Avoiding falls and injuries from falling items

Don’t leave babies alone on a raised surface like a bed, sofa or changing table. They could roll or crawl off.

Remove furniture under windows or balconies that could be climbed on.

Don’t have hanging tablecloths that could be pulled, bringing everything crashing down on your child.

If you have hard floors you might want to consider getting a soft memory foam play mat. Totter + Tumble and Munchkin & Bear make lovely ones.

other tips

A baby and child first aid kit could prove very useful.

It can be a good idea to have one unlocked cupboard or drawer in the kitchen full of unbreakable baby-safe stuff to satisfy their curiosity and keep them busy when you are in this room.