Child safety at home

Suspected poisoning is one of the most common reasons for children to be taken to A&E. Some top tips for keeping children safe include:

• Keeping medicine locked away in high-up cupboards or cabinets
• Using safety catches on lower cupboards
• Keeping cleaning products away from a child's reach. For example, cleaning detergents, washing/dishwasher tablets and bleach.

CAPT have lots of information on keeping children safe broken down into the following age groups:

• 6 months and above
• Toddlers
• Young children

Looped cords can be deadly for young children if they become stuck around their necks. Whilst toddlers are mobile, their head still weighs a lot compared to their bodies. Their muscle control is likely to not be fully developed as well. This combination means they may not be able to free themselves if they get stuck.

The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) has more information on blind cords and what you can do to make them safe.

There are lots of hazards in your garden that you may not always consider. CAPT has lots of information on keeping your child safe in the garden including:

• Trampolines
• Plants
• Gardening equipment
• drowning
• BBQs

The Royal Horticultural Society also has a list of potentially harmful plants.

Children and dogs can have a really fun time together. However, situations can become unsafe quite quickly. Sometimes a child or dog can accidentally hurt one another.

Dogs Trust has really useful information on Dogs and children living together safely. This includes:

• What behaviours to look out for in both the child and dog
• When to step in and separate if needed
• What to do if a bite happens

The RSPCA also has some good information on understanding your dog's behaviours. This helps owners to recognise when a dog is happy, worried or angry.

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 Home Fire Safety Visits for those who may be at increased risk of, or from fire.

You can check to see if you are eligible for a Home Fire Safety Visit by completing an online Home Fire Risk Check.