Children need to explore in order to learn about the things around them, but every year about 600,000 children under five, go to hospital because of an accident in the home.
The safer you make your home, the less likely it is that their exploration will land them in hospital. Outside your home it’s not so easy to make sure that the world is a safe place, but by getting together with other parents you can make a difference.
You can put pressure on your local council as follows:
· To make road crossings safer;
· To mend stairs and walkways and improve lighting;
· To clear rubbish tips and board up old buildings.
Protect and teach
· Under-threes can’t be expected to understand or remember safety advice. They need to have an adult nearby at all times.
· Three-year-olds can start learning how to do things safely, but expect your child to forget if she or he is excited or distracted.
· Eight-year-olds can usually remember and act on safety instructions, though they are not yet safe enough to cross a busy road alone. They need adults around to call on for help at all times.
· Under eleven-year-olds children are unable to judge speed and distance, so they should never cross busy roads alone. From the age of eight or nine children could cross quiet roads alone but they must wait until there are no cars at all. They should know and understand the Green Cross Code.