Household safety

Keeping your child safe at home and learning about basic first aid.

Young children learn by exploring. They don't have an understanding of danger so there are a few key steps you should implement around your home to ensure their safety.

Safety tips

Children aged 5 years and under are particularly at risk of being injured in home accidents. Most of these accidents can be easily prevented by:

  • supervising children at all times
  • keeping floors free of toys and obstructions
  • always using a securely fitted safety harness in a pram, pushchair or highchair
  • never leaving babies unattended on raised surfaces
  • never placing baby bouncers on raised surfaces 

The use of baby walkers and table-mounted high chairs is not recommended.

We recommend:

  • using stair gates
  • covering electrical sockets with blank socket covers
  • avoiding drinking hot drinks whilst holding a baby and keeping out of reach of toddlers
  • never leaving a toddler unattended in a kitchen
  • keeping all medicines in childproof containers and out of reach
  • storing household cleaning chemicals in a cupboard with a child lock

Downloadable resources

Safe at home thumbnail ROSPA Leaflet

Safe at home: tips for under-5s

Simple steps you can take to help make sure your children are safe

Download ROSPA Leaflet
Height Chart ROSPA leaflet thumbnail

Height chart

Helping your child avoid accidents at home

Height Chart

First aid for children

Familiarise yourself with basic first aid so that you can act quickly if your child becomes unwell or has an accident.

There is lots of advice and guidance on the NHS website:

Learning first aid

Learn simple first aid skills for babies and children on the British Redcross website.

First aid courses are available on the St John Ambulance website.