Keeping Children Safe at Home: A Complete Guide

Level: Intermediate

Most accidents to young children happen at home. The good news is that many of them can be prevented. As a nanny, you are responsible for the children while you are working, so it's important to know where the dangers are and what to do.

This guide takes you through the house room by room. Remember: every home is different. On your first day in a new family, walk around the house and look for risks. If you see a problem, tell the parents politely.

Your first-day safety check

Before you start, ask the parents these questions:

Where is the first aid kit?

Does any child have an allergy or a medical condition?

Where are medicines and cleaning products kept?

What is the full address of the house? (You will need it in an emergency.)

Where are the house keys, and how do you get out quickly if there is a fire?

Save the parents' phone numbers, and write the address somewhere you can see it, like on the fridge.

In the kitchen

The kitchen is one of the most dangerous rooms for children.

Turn pan handles inwards, so children can't pull them down. Use the back rings of the hob when you can.

Keep hot drinks out of reach. A hot drink can still burn a small child 15 minutes after it was made. Never hold a hot drink while you hold a baby.

Keep knives and sharp things at the back of the worktop or in a locked drawer.

Watch out for kettle or toaster cables hanging over the edge or close to the edge.

Keep the oven door closed, and remember it stays hot after cooking.

In the bathroom

Never leave a baby or young child alone in the bath, not even for a few seconds. A baby can drown in just a few centimetres of water, very quickly and silently. If you need to leave, take the child with you, wrapped in a towel.

Check the water temperature before the child gets in. Put the cold water in first, then the hot. The water should feel warm, not hot, on your elbow.

Empty the bath straight after use.

Keep razors, medicines and cleaning products up high or locked away.

Stairs, windows and furniture

Falls are the most common accident at home.

Use stair gates at the top and bottom of the stairs, and always close them.

Never leave a baby alone on a high surface, like a bed, sofa or changing table. Babies can roll very suddenly. Keep one hand on the baby, or even better, change them on the floor.

Keep windows locked, or check they have restrictors so they only open a little. Don't put beds, sofas or toy boxes under windows, because children can climb on them.

Check that heavy furniture is fixed to the wall, like bookcases, chests of drawers and TVs. Children love to climb, and furniture can fall on them.

Tie up blind cords and curtain cords so they are out of reach. They can be very dangerous for children's necks.

Medicines, cleaning products and small objects

Keep all medicines up high, ideally in a locked cupboard. This includes vitamins and the medicines in handbags and coat pockets.

Store cleaning products out of reach, especially laundry and dishwasher capsules. They look like sweets to children.

Button batteries are extremely dangerous. These are the small, round batteries found in remote controls, toys and car keys. If a child swallows one, go to the hospital immediately, even if the child seems fine.

Keep small objects off the floor, such as coins, marbles, beads and toys from older children. If an object can fit inside a toilet roll tube, it is small enough for a young child to choke on.

Keep plastic bags and balloons away from young children.

Electricity and fire

Keep hair straighteners, irons and heaters out of reach. Hair straighteners stay hot for a long time after you turn them off.

Watch out for iron cable hanging over the edge or close to the edge

Don't overload sockets with too many plugs.

Know where the smoke alarms are, and tell the parents if one is beeping.

Keep matches and lighters hidden and out of reach.

Know your escape route. If there is a fire, get everyone out, stay out, and call emergency services.

Safe sleep for babies

Always put a baby to sleep on their back.

Put them "feet to foot", with their feet touching the bottom of the cot.

Keep the cot clear: no pillows, soft toys, cot bumpers, or blankets.

Keep the room at a comfortable temperature, not too hot. Don't use hats indoors for sleep.

Never smoke near a baby, and don't sleep on a sofa or armchair with a baby.

Outside and with pets

Always watch children near water: paddling pools, ponds and even buckets. Empty paddling pools after use.

Lock garden gates and sheds. Keep garden tools and chemicals locked away.

Never leave a young child alone with a pet, even a friendly one.

Check the front door is locked, so a child can't get out into the street.

If something goes wrong

Stay calm. The children will copy your feelings.

Call the emergency number if a child is not breathing, is unconscious, is having a fit, has a serious burn, or has trouble breathing. (In the US, call 911.)

Call the parents for urgent advice when it is not an emergency.

If a child swallows medicine or chemicals, keep the packet and call for an ambulance. Do not try to make the child sick.

Tell the parents as soon as the child is safe.

Every nanny should complete a paediatric first aid course and keep it up to date. It's one of the most useful things you can do for your career, and many families ask for it.

Talking to the parents

Parents appreciate a nanny who notices safety problems. Be polite and helpful, not critical.

Useful phrases:

"I noticed the stair gate doesn't close properly. Could we get it fixed?"

"Would it be OK to move the cleaning products to a higher cupboard?"

"Just so you know, Leo bumped his head on the table at 2 o'clock. He cried for a minute, and I put a cold pack on it. He's been fine since."

"Where do you keep the first aid kit?"

"Is there anything the children are not allowed to touch?"

Vocabulary

WordMeaning

hazardsomething that could cause harm

out of reachtoo high or far away for a child to get

stair gatea small gate to stop children using the stairs

window restrictora lock that stops a window opening too wide

to scaldto burn skin with hot liquid or steam

to swallowto let something go down your throat

first aid kita box with plasters, bandages and other things for injuries

A&Ethe hospital department for emergencies

cota bed with high sides for a baby

UK vs US English: a cot is a crib, A&E is the ER, a plaster is a Band-Aid, a hob is a stovetop, and a tap is a faucet.

Quick quiz

How long can a hot drink still burn a child after it was made?

What should you do if a child swallows a button battery?

In what position should a baby sleep?

Name two things you should ask the parents on your first day.

Answers: 1) Around 15 minutes. 2) Go to A&E immediately. 3) On their back, with feet at the bottom of the cot. 4) Any two of: where the first aid kit is, allergies or medical conditions, where medicines and cleaning products are kept, the full address, where the keys are and how to get out in a fire.