Safety advice

Button batteries, particularly big, powerful lithium coin cell batteries, can badly hurt or kill a small child if they swallow one and it gets stuck in their food pipe. Find out more.

Super strong magnets can rip through a child’s gut if they swallow them, causing life-threatening injuries. Find out more.

Many accidents are a part of growing up. Children need to explore and experiment. But some children suffer the pain of serious accidents that can alter the course of their lives forever. Most of these serious accidents are completely preventable by making simple solutions or changes to routines.

Children need help to learn how to cross the road safely. And there’s a lot you can do as a parent or carer to support them.

Suspected poisoning is one of the most common reasons for young children to be taken to A&E. Every day, 15 young children are admitted into hospital because it’s thought they’ve swallowed something poisonous.

Safety equipment can help to create a safer environment for your child. It doesn’t replace the need for supervision, especially with younger children, but it can make protecting your child easier.

Although strangulation is sometimes picked up in the news as a ‘freak’ accident, it is not uncommon. Babies and small children reach and grab for things that catch their eye, and this includes strings, ribbons and cords. They also get tangled in cords when climbing

Babies and young children don't have the control that adults have over their bodies. They can wriggle and squirm but it is harder for them to move out of a dangerous situation.

While toys sold by well-known, reputable stores are generally safe, toys, novelty items and dressing-up clothes that you can buy in online marketplaces, markets or discount stores may not be. Take care and don't assume that, just because you can buy something, it must be safe.

Car seats can be mind-boggling! How do you know if you’ve got the right seat for your child and for your car? When should you move them to the next stage? Our advice on in-car safety can help.

From poisonous plants to weed killer, trampolines to barbecues, there are a number of potential hazards in the garden that parents should be aware of in order to make them safer places for children to play in during these months of confinement (and beyond). Check out your safety knowledge by trying our quiz.

Families are almost three times more likely to die in fires that start in the night – if they don’t have working smoke alarms, they breathe in the poisonous smoke and never wake up.

Falls are the most common cause of accidental injury to children. While most falls aren’t serious – active children often fall over – some falls can lead to death or long-term disability.

The good news is that children are at very little risk from electric shocks. Electrical sockets are designed to be safe. But electricity can be dangerous in other ways.

Babies and toddlers are inquisitive and learn about the world by putting things in their mouth. There's a risk of poisoning from e-cigarette liquid and, as with medicines and cleaning products, ecigarettes and e-liquids should be kept out of the reach of children

For young children, there is a real risk of drowning in the home or garden, including neighbours’ gardens. As they get older, the risks are associated more with children exploring and challenging themselves around water.

Cycling is a great way to keep fit and active. However, whether it’s a young child cycling in the park on his first bike, or an older child cycling to school, cycle accidents are a real risk for children and young people.

Each day around 40 under-5s are rushed to hospital after choking on something, or swallowing something dangerous. Be particularly aware of sweet items such as mini eggs around Easter time - these are exactly the same size as a toddler's airway.

95% of all childhood burns and scalds happen at home. Most are caused in the day-to-day situations that many parents don’t anticipate, like children reaching for hot coffee or grabbing hair straighteners.

Many parents are taken by surprise by what their baby or toddler does next. So we encourage parents to stay one step ahead of their developing child, understanding what behaviours – and the accidents associated with them – may come next.