Home Safety for Children Tips from a Master Locksmith – IKS Locksmiths

If you are about to become a parent, or if you are the parent of a small baby you may not have yet realised just what some children can get up to within the home! Or you may have realised and have some interesting stories to tell. It has never failed to amaze me what my children have got up to over the years. In particular my son who is very inquisitive (and interested in locks funnily enough) has really pushed the boundaries! So I’m speaking from first hand experience as well as from a Master Locksmiths perspective.

My company is IKS Locksmiths in High Barnet and we Are Master Locksmiths experienced in child safety lock fitting.

Some of the antics my son has got up to in the past few years have been so unpredictable. When I speak to fellow parents the list of possibilities for adventure from the perspective of a young child seem to be endless. Get a few small children together and the possibilities and the confidence seem to grow!

Safety in the home for kids is really about protecting children from their own sense of adventure and wish to explore the world.

These are Just Some of My Sons Antics Over the Past Few Years

• In our very small, safe, enclosed garden we looked out the window from the kitchen to find him standing in the drain! One minute he was playing and the next he was standing in the drain with just the top half of his body above ground!! That was a shock.
• Another time in the garden he appeared at the backdoor holding a large section of the drain pipe! It took us a while to realise what it was.
• He has always been interested in trying to open locks (like father like son).
• Since 10 months he has been a keen climber and I have no doubt that he could find a way to reach anything if we allowed him to.
• He would switch off the electrics under the stairs given the opportunity (we have a lock on the cupboard).
• Sneaking food from the kitchen is a hobby – he would eat a block of butter given the chance!

That’s just in the home. Unlike our daughter who is very cautious and sensible our son has really kept us on our toes and has given us a real insight into the possible dangerous scenarios children can get into when left alone for just a few minutes. I have to be honest, as much as I admire his sense of wonder for the world and the fact that he won’t let anything get in his way, it is stressful and quite exhausting when you don’t know what he will get up to next. As a result we have put measures in place to prevent certain scenarios so that we can relax in the knowledge that the children are safe in our home.

These facts and figures from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents speak volumes , with more than 2 million people under the age of 15 visiting A&E each year as a result of accidents in the home. Quite a shocking statistic!

A good place to find detailed information on safety measures at home for children in general is the CAPT Child Accident Prevention Trust. Like us they are based in Barnet. On the website you will find detailed advice on many areas of child safety from choking, fire safety, falls, poisoning, the list goes on. There is lots of information on how to prevent and deal with accidents. Child Safety Week this year is 5-11 June 2017.

Our aim is to tell you how dangerous scenarios can be prevented and avoided with physical security.

When we carry out a security survey on a property where there are children in the household we focus on the importance of security and safety within the home as well as general security. It’s not just about keeping intruders out, it’s also about keeping the children in and safe! There is so much that can be done with physical security to prevent the likelihood of accidents occurring in the first place. Prevention is the key and there are some simple and effective solutions.

Home Safety for Children – Tips from a Master Locksmith

Prevent escape from all entrances

Install child proof door locks on a level that can’t be reached even with the use of a chair. I know of too many children who have made escape attempts.

Prevent climbing through windows

The use of window restrictors means that windows can only open a safe amount.

Prevent access to cupboards with chemicals and medicines

Keep chemicals in high cupboards and /or add a lock.

Prevent access to the electrical switchboard

A simple lock on the cupboard will give you peace of mind if your electrics are at child height.

Prevent access to loft spaces

A lock on a loft space door can stop access to potentially dangerous territory.

Prevent access to food cupboards or any cupboards you wish to restrict access to

Child safety door locks can be used on any kitchen cupboards that you may want to keep children out of.

Prevent access to any rooms that may have danger

It can be useful to have the ability to lock particular rooms at certain times, for example closing loft rooms or a bedroom can restrict children to playing in particular safe areas and give you peace of mind. This is useful if there are children round for a play date who may like to explore areas that your own children wouldn’t usually. You may be surprised at the investigations that can go on when a few children get together.

Prevent access to the kitchen at times

There are all sorts of dangers in the kitchen from knives to heat sources to heavy objects. It can be really useful to be able to make this room a no access zone at times. Locking the kitchen at night can also improve security from intruders if your back door is in the kitchen. We were recently advised by The London Fire Brigade that this is good practice with regards to fire safety as well.

Safety at home for children is so important and it is vital to cover all bases to avoid any unfortunate and unnecessary accidents.

In a previous post we have given child safety tips for parents to teach children. Teaching your children important security tips can never be done too early. This is our child friendly guide to security for children of all ages.

If you require child safety locks for doors or just general security advice with a view to keeping children safe at home we would welcome the opportunity to survey your home and make recommendations.

If you have any stories about sticky situations your children have got themselves into we would love to hear them!