UK Child Safety Week: Holiday Accommodation Check-list
June 22, 2012
To mark UK Child Safety Week, BFB asked Katrina Phillips, Chef Executive of the Child Accident Prevention Trust, to develop this handy checklist for parents to refer to when arriving at their holiday accommodation:
1. Holiday homes often have access to water, such as pools – Make sure that your baby/child can’t get to the water alone as they could drown silently;
2. In hot weather people like to open their windows – Move furniture away from windows to help prevent falls;
3. In warm countries there are often lots of blinds – Tie up all looped blind cords, or move furniture away from blinds, to prevent strangulation;
4. Without a stair guard you will need to ensure that your baby or toddler cannot climb up and fall down the stairs;
5. If you are staying in a house, find the cleaning products and put them out of reach of your children;
6. Check that all sockets are intact – Voltage in other countries can be higher than in UK and potentially dangerous; Electrical sockets in some countries do not have shutters built into them. Shutters help to generally prevent children pushing things into the holes and reaching any live parts.
7. If you are cooking on BBQs or open fires, keep your child away from them;
8. Don’t leave your hair straighteners on the floor as they stay hot and can burn for up to eight minutes after use;
9. Make sure you know where the fire escapes are in your accommodation;
10. Consider taking a smoke alarm and CO alarm with you.
11. Don’t bring BBQs inside as the carbon monoxide fumes are poisonous.
12. Remember, BBQs stay hot long after use.
Baby-Friendly Boltholes prides itself on being the first port of call for discerning parents looking for stylish and child-friendly accommodation. All the accommodation we list is enthusiastic about offering great holidays for families with young children and provide gear and services help parents get the most from their break. However, it is important to note that our properties may not be ‘baby-proof’, in fact, it would be dangerous to assume any house is, even your own. Parents should check the ‘Fast Facts’ columns on the accommodation listing to see what safety equipment is or isn’t included. The checklist above will also help prevent ensure a happy and relaxing break for everyone.
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