Child safety at home

Child safety in your home

Your adult-friendly home has many potential hazards for a child. But you can keep your child safe by finding out what the risks are and then preventing or removing them.

But even when you think you’ve removed all the home safety hazards, the reality is that children can still have tumbles and falls. That’s why supervision is one of the keys to child safety at home.

Also, as your child grows and learns to climb and open things, you need to be alert for new hazards. You’ll probably need to change the environment to make sure your home is still a safe and creative place to play and explore.

And along with supervision and a safe environment, you can also improve home safety by helping your child learn what’s safe and what’s not.

If children have a creative space to play and explore, with plenty of interesting things to do and look at, they’ll be less likely to seek their own stimulation by exploring areas you might not want them to get into.

Baby furniture and equipment safety

When you’re choosing and using furniture and equipment for your baby, the first step for safety is checking whether new baby furniture meets Australian Standards or Australian/New Zealand Standards.

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Burns, scalds and fire safety

To prevent burns and scalds, keep your child away from things that burn – barbecues, fires, heaters, hot surfaces, hot liquids and hot foods.

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General indoor and outdoor safety

To create a safe indoor environment and a safe outdoor environment at home, check for indoor hazards in the kitchen, bedroom, family room, bathroom and laundry. There might be outdoor hazards in the backyard, garden, shed, outdoor play area, pool area and so on.

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Use the articles listed in other sections of this guide to check for burns, equipment, furniture, poisons, scalds and water hazards.

When you and your child are out and about, it’s a great opportunity to help your child learn about pedestrian and road safety and bicycle, scooter and skateboard safety. If you’re heading to a playground, playground safety is all about active supervision.

Poisons safety

Children can be poisoned by medicines, household chemicals, cleaning products and other things. The first step to safety is storing household poisons out of reach and out of sight, up high in cupboards with child-resistant locks.

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Water safety

Water safety depends on 100% active adult supervision whenever children are around water. This includes around baths, pools, ponds, dams, rivers, creeks and buckets with water.

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CPR and first aid

It’s a very good idea to do first aid and CPR training. First aid training is recommended every 3 years, and CPR training is recommended every year. You can do training with organisations like Royal Life Saving Australia, the Australian Red Cross and St John Ambulance Australia.

Keep first aid kits in your home and car, and take a kit on holidays too.

Print out our illustrated guides to CPR for babies, CPR for children and teens, choking first aid for babies, choking first aid for children and teens and RICER first aid.

Emergency numbers

Make a list of emergency numbers to keep near your telephone. Here are numbers to include:

Police, ambulance, fire – 000
Poisons Information Centre – 131 126
State Emergency Service – 132 500
Health Direct Australia – 1800 022 222
GP
child and family health nurse
local children’s hospital
all-night pharmacy
trusted neighbours and relatives
local council.

Need more information on child safety? Contact Kidsafe or the child safety centres or child health promotion units at the major children’s hospital in the capital city of your state or territory.