Child Safety
Every baby is different, they will grow and learn in their own time. It’s important that you keep one step ahead, making the environment safe for your baby.
Babies can go from wriggling, sitting and crawling, to standing and walking in a matter of months.
Your toddler is at a very busy stage of their life. They rush around on unsteady feet with little understanding of any dangers.
Age one is the most injury-prone stage of you child’s life.
Young children should never be left alone in a house or vehicle – they need constant supervision.
Know exactly where your child is at all times. If you use caregivers, ask for references and visit them often without warning.
Talk with your child often. Listen carefully and check the exact meaning of their words. Never show alarm or panic.
Babysitters
- A babysitter should be at least 14 years old and should be a family member or friend – somebody you trust and your children feel happy with
- Leave emergency numbers by the phone, including the number where you can be contacted and the number of a nearby relative or friend
- Tell the babysitter the exact bedtime routine. Provide any special information about your children, for example their medicine
- Tell the babysitter where to find a torch, clean bedding, clothes and nappies
- Be clear about arrangements including pay, using the phone, having friends visit and making snacks
- Arrange to get the babysitter home safely. If you’ve been drinking, don’t drive – provide a taxi
Keeping Pre-teens Safe
Work out family rules and routines to help your children keep safe. Keep an up-to-date list of contact and emergency phone numbers by the phone or programmed into it so children can get help if necessary. Teach children to answer the phone politely and briefly. Show them how to take messages and deal with wrong number calls. Teach them not to chat on the phone with people they don’t know, reveal they are alone or let people they don’t know into the house.
If your child is visiting a friend after school, check with the friend’s parents and confirm arrangements in advance. In rural schools let the teacher know the arrangements too.
Getting Home Safely
Teach your child how to get safely to and from school and other places they go – whether they walk, bike or go by bus. Make clear rules about getting home.
Go to school with your child so that you can show them the safest route. Teach them to deal with hazards like narrow footpaths or busy roads. If they walk, make sure they always use pedestrian crossings.
Who does your child walk home with? Meet the parents of children in your area and keep in touch.
Teach the children to walk home together in twos or small groups, not alone. Make other arrangements if someone is away.
Protecting your Children from Drugs
Drug education starts long before children are faced with temptation.
Watch out for signs of drug use:
- personality changes, moodiness, withdrawal, forgetfulness, confusion
- lying, loss of control, sudden anger, hysteria, rudeness
- loss of interest in school and sports, falling grades, truancy
- unexplained changes in behavior, dress, friends, places they visit
- red eyes, loss of appetite, weight loss, constant tiredness, hyperactivity
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