When it comes to safety around children, every parent wants to take the best possible actions. This is put into practice around the home as you move things out of reach and cover plug sockets to prevent small fingers fiddling.
And one area of the home which you shouldn’t ignore for child safety is the windows, particularly the furnishings you choose. Window blinds have increased in popularity considerably over the last few years but many designs have long, dangling wires and cords which can prove a hazard for small children.
This is why it’s important to move away from these traditional designs and instead modernise your home with stylish window blinds which are designed to be child friendly.
Blind safety has been a continued campaign for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and 15 blind cord deaths have been recorded since 2010. This doesn’t sound a lot, but it’s best to be vigilant and as safe as possible when it comes to our children.
The RoSPA noted that children between 16 and 36 months are most at risk and many of the accidents occur in bedrooms. Of course, as children grown, their curiosity with the world around them becomes greater.
This is why it’s best to completely avoid long cords and wires altogether. Duette® among others have made efforts to eliminate long cords from their window blinds, with the innovative LiteRise® and SmartCord® designs.
The LiteRise® is complete with no cords or wires and the blinds are easily raised and lowered with just one hand. The SmartCord® has a solitary short cord, out of reach of children and gently pulled to set the right height.
Here are some general tips for installing window blinds in your home:
- 1. Don’t install blinds with a cord or wire, particularly in a child’s bedroom
- 2. If you do have cords or wires, keep them out of reach
- 3. Don’t position a cot, playpen or high chair near a window
- 4. Don’t hang toys around a cot as this can cause a hazard
- 5. Don’t cut blind cords as these can tangle and result in the reformation as a loop
For more information on choosing child friendly window blinds and ensuring your home is as safe as possible, visit www.duette.co.uk/child-safe