Features > Clare Scott Dryden > How Safe is your home?
How Safe is your home?
January 07, 2009 13:48 Published by Clare Scott Dryden 0 Comments
Being a mother of two I am constantly hearing about accidents that have happen to children. Last week, a baby girl of 13 months pulled herself up on a table that had a mug of hot tea perched upon it. The mug fell off and spilled over this little girls foot causing a huge blister and emergency treatment. Yesterday a mother told me of her four year old who ran from a distance onto a sofa, jumped onto its back causing it to fall backwards, catapulting her child onto the floor and breaking his nose.
The home is a dangerous place for youngsters – over 600,000 children aged 4 and under, in the UK need hospital treatment due to an accident in the home.
The distress caused when a child is seriously injured in the home is immense. Curious children left unattended, even for a moment will wander into rooms that hold potential dangers. All parents wish to provide the very best environment for their young children to grow up in and any unnecessary bump, tumble, bruise, burn, fracture or any kind of injury is difficult to accept … but worse when it is caused in the home.
Just how safe is your home?
One sure way to understand is to get down on your hands and knees and see the world on a toddlers level – you will see what they can see and may reach for!
Childproofing is a service offered by Childalert to help prevent accidents in the home – by appointment Childalert will visit your home and conduct a safety survey pointing out all the potential dangers. During the survey they will give you advice on how best to make your home more child friendly.
You will receive a full written quotation with Childalert’s recommended list of safety products. You may purchase these direct from Childalert or buy them yourself.
If you would also like your products fitted Childalert can arrange for a fitter to help you out.
Our motto is Be Safe, Be Prepared, Be Childalert!
- Be Safe: ensure your home is safe from danger by taking practical measures to ensure potential dangerous objects and everyday living items are out of reach
- Be Prepared: know what to do should an accident happen – have a first aid kit to hand, a fire extinguisher and blanket, know what procedure to take for what accident.
- Be Childalert: use the website to enhance the knowledge you have about child safety and wellbeing. Whenever you have a query go to www.childalert.co.uk for advice.
Here are Childalert’s recommended top ten ‘lifesavers’.
If nothing else ensure you have these items in the home.
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Danger
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Solution
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Fire |
Smoke detectors |
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Water |
Bath temperature gauge |
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Radiator covers |
|
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Pool covers |
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Electricity |
Socket Covers |
|
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Wire/cable tidy |
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Knives |
Drawer locks |
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Cleaning materials &
poisons |
Cupboard locks &
Medicine box |
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Stairs |
Gates |
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Doors |
Door stoppers |
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Glass |
Shatter-proof safety film |
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Furniture |
Corner cushions |
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Accidents |
First Aid Kit |
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'emergency organiser’ |
Making your home environment a safe place may seem like common sense to some but stressful and almost unobtainable to others.
For more information about the Childalert childproofing service visit www.childalert.co.uk - you can book a survey online.
If you would like a CDRom of ‘how to make you home safe’ call Childalert on 0207 384 1311 or please send £14.99 placing your contact address on the back, to P O Box 29961, London SW6 6FT and you will also receive FREE membership access to the website.
Notes
Other Childalert safety products for the home include:
1. The BeSafe Guides - each of these guides offers practical advice for both parents and child. They are to be read together as a family keeping an open mind and encouraging discussion. Remind your children that as parents, you will always be available and open to listen to any concerns they might have over any issue.
The booklets are:
• Safety in the home
• Internet Safety
• Stranger Danger
• Personal Safety
• Drugs
• Safety while Shopping
• Mobile Phones – a necessity, an addiction or fun?
Guides are £2.50 plus 70p P&P each, £1 of all sales will be sent to a school of your choice.
2. Nannyboard – the emergency organiser
A write-on wipe off board with First Aid reminders to minimise a crisis/accident should one occur. Nannyboards available for the home, schools or organisations that house children. Price £4.99
Cheques should be made available to P O Box 29961, London SW6 6FT. Please ensure you let us know the product that interests you and that you provide us with your contact address.
Please add 75p postage and packing to your payment – no matter how many products you order.
3. The only Baby and Child First Aid kit where everything is made that much smaller to enhance the protection on little people. Also included is an audio CD with instructions on first aid procedures. This should be listened to at home / in the car in order to be aware and prepared for any emergency eventualities. This First Aid for Babies and Children is a must for every family. The Childalert First Aid kit for Baby and Child is endorsed by the British Red Cross. To buy your kit please send a cheque for £24.99 plus £5 P&P to Childalert P O Box 29961 London SW6 6FT
All of Childalerts products and services are supported by the website www.childalert.co.ukwww.childalert.co.uk