Keeping your child safe

There are lots of risks to children at home. Safe at home gives advice on things you can do to prevent accidents and injuries including:

• burns
• scalds
• falls
• poison
• chocking
• drowning

Toys and electrical items we buy from well-known and reputable places are generally safe.

But if you’re buying toys and items from market stalls, discount stores or online marketplaces then you need to be cautious because fake or uncertified goods can be dangerous or untested.

Find out what to look out for on the Child Accident Prevention Trust’s website.

There is no official age at which children can be left alone. This is because children mature at different rates and behave in different ways.

The law instead states that you shouldn’t leave a child or children alone if they’ll be at risk.

Infants and young children aged 0 to 3 years old should never be left alone and the NSPCC don’t recommend leaving any child under 12 years alone.

View the NSPCC’s advice and recommendations on safety for children home alone.

Fire can affect anyone at any time so having smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms is crucial to protect yourself and your family. Find out more about getting a fire alarm on the Fire Safety Advice Centre website.

You can sign up for free safety reminders to get reminder text messages to test or replace your alarms, and other things like fire extinguishers and defibrillators.

The Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service offer fire and wellness visits if you’re at greatest risk of fire or who are more vulnerable.

You could get a Fire and Wellness visit if:

• anything is making your home more at risk of fire. This could include hoarded materials and clutter from overcrowded living arrangement
• don’t have any smoke alarms and you can’t fit them yourself
• you’re not sure your smoke alarms are working and you can’t test or replace them yourself
• you can’t respond to a smoke alarm quickly because you have a long-term disability or are affected by health needs, medication, drugs, alcohol, mobility or frailty