Child Safety

Ensuring your child grows up safely
By Ben Waterworth

As soon as your child is born you are always ensuring it is kept as safe as possible. And no matter what age your child is you still can easily worry about all the potential dangers that they may face along the way until adulthood. Until they reach their teenage years it's always important to maintain a level of guardianship over them and closely monitor their activities so that they remain safe and don't do anything that has the potential to seriously injure or kill them. Here we will give you a list of things to look out for as a child develops to really keep your mind on childhood safety.

Before birth

• Purchase a child restraint system that meets Australian standards. You may be fined of up to $225 if the police see you are using one that does not
• Get the restraint installed by a professional
• Inspect all nursery equipment is safe and also meets Australian standards
• Child proof your home as best you can so that you have to do limited work on this as your child ages
• Always have a list of emergency numbers near your phone from everything from your child's doctor through to poison control
• Create an emergency plan for if anything goes bad
• Install safety covers on all taps to prevent water burns

0-6 Months Old

• As you baby grows you should adjust your child restraint system in your car
• Always ensure your nursery equipment is safe and meets Australian standards
• Make sure the mattress is firm and snugly for your baby
• Don't ever leave your baby unattended, especially on high up places such as the bench or bed
• Don't place your baby in a bean bag or water bed that may smother your child
• Always make sure hot items are out of reach of your baby
• Make sure you watch your baby when it is around water
• Take off ribbons and cords that may cause your baby to choke
• Don't give them toys that may break apart or have small removable parts

6-12 Months Old

• Make sure that there are harnesses in place during shopping in trolleys as well as high chairs
• Ensure your child restraints are the correct size and still meet Australian standards
• All poisons are out of reach and locked away
• All items that contain more than 5cm of water are either drained or closely monitored or even fenced off
• All power points are safely covered and sharp edges are also covered and made safe
• Cigarettes, matches and lighters are kept out of reach
• Safety barriers are installed on stairs

1-3 Years Old

• All pools and spas are safely fenced off and gated
• Wading pools are emptied when not in use. When in use always closely supervise
• All medications and cleaning products are stored away safely and locked up
• Your child should be taught to sit and eat quietly and to calm down when they do to prevent choking
• There should be guards in place over heaters, stoves as well as at the top and bottom of stairs
• Restraints should be used on children wherever possible
• Take your child out of a car on the side of the footpath, not the road
• Have some basic first aid training in case of an emergency
• Hot water should always be safe and below 50 degrees

4-5 Years Old

• All tripping hazards outside should be closely monitored
• Sun smart activities should happen in shaded areas, or at least ensure your child is always sun safe when outside
• Supervise your children whenever they are near the road or driveway
• Place stickers on glass so they can tell it's not just an empty doorway
• Supervise your children whenever they are near water
• Don't let them play in the sun between 11am and 3pm
• Make sure all medications and potential poisons are out of reach and locked away

These are just a few tips to ensure your house is safe for children as well as what to do in certain age groups!