Toddler beds will usually be low enough to the ground not to be a serious fall risk if a child does fall out of bed.
You can keep a clear space next to the toddler bed so there’s no risk of a child hitting their head if they do fall out of bed.
Bear in mind that children should only move up to a toddler bed when they are old enough or they’re starting to climb out of their cot which is causing a fall risk.
If you are going to use a bed guard:
- Ensure the bed guard is made to standard BS7972:2001+A1:2009. If it isn’t, don’t use it.
- Only use bed guards made to this standard for children 18months to 5 years.
- Make sure it is fitted exactly to the fitting instructions. If there are no instructions, don’t use it.
- If there’s any doubt about the suitability of the bed guard you’re fitting, don’t use it.
- Always leave 250mm on each side once it’s fitted to avoid strangulation risks from smaller gaps.
If you use a bed guard on an adult bed, there’s a risk the child can fall either side of the guard or even fall climbing over it.
