The first rule of child safety is SUPERVISION.

Supervision alone could prevent many childhood accidents. Having said that, accidents can happen in a split second and however diligent you are, you only need turn away for a second for your kids to have an accident. One thing that you can do is to make your children's environment - indoors, outdoors and in the car - as safe as possible.

This page highlights the main areas of concern for child safety. The list below has links to other info sheets and checklists which provide more in depth information. And once you've made everything as safe as possible, make sure that other carers follow your good practices.

These are some of the areas of safety that you should consider:

• nursery furniture - cots, changetables, bouncer seats, toy boxes, baby walkers and high chairs...read more
• prams & strollers...read more
• car safety - children must always travel in a suitable child restraint - including that first trip home from the hospital - we've a page dedicated to information on infant car seats & child restraints
• indoor safety
  • electricity; appliances & power points
  • medicines, cleaning products, chemicals & poisons
  • cords on curtains and blinds
  • glass doors & windows
  • hot water
  • stairs & stair guards
  • heaters & fire hazards
  • kitchens
  • toys
  • slippery floorcoverings
  • cupboards, sharp corners & other general items
  • read our indoor safety checklist
    
• outdoor safety
  • garden tools
  • dangerous plants
  • reptiles & insects
  • swimming pools & fences
  • barbecues
  • read our outdoor safety checklist
    
• the sun
  • go to sun care for baby skin - sun protection for babies
    

Get a copy of your essential local handy helplines & emergency numbers printout to keep by your phone or on the fridge.

One organisation working to educate and inform Australians of child safety issues is the Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia - known as Kidsafe. This nationwide non-profit organisation seeks to raise awareness of child safety issues and accident prevention measures.

You can visit the Kidsafe Centre in your region. These are excellent local facilities, offered free of charge. The local Kidsafe Centres provide an enormous amount of information on child safety in, around and away from the home. Some safety products are also available for purchase.