Fire safety for parents and child carers (accessible version)
Updated 25 May 2022
Applies to England
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Did you know?
Over 350 children under the age of 11 are injured and 7 are killed in accidental fires in the home in England every year.
This leaflet has been put together for parents and anyone looking after children, including childminders. The advice and tips provided here supplement our main Fire Safety in the Home leaflet.
Reducing risks to children
Matches, lighters and candles
Remember to keep things that can cause fires out of children’s reach
Position lighted candles and tea lights out of reach of children.
Only buy child resistant lighters and match boxes.
Electrics and heaters
If your children are charging electrical devices, make sure they use a hard, flat surface and never charge on bedding or under pillows.
Teach children not to poke anything, including fingers, into sockets.
Consider getting plug guards to cover sockets.
Make sure electrical appliances (TVs and computers) in children’s bedrooms are switched off at night.
The kitchen
As kitchens can be dangerous places for children, avoid leaving them unsupervised.
Avoid using the front of the hob when small children are around.
Make sure that saucepan handles don’t stick out to avoid them being knocked off.
Consider fitting safety catchers on low cupboard doors to keep dangerous items such as cleaning products and other flammable materials away from children.
Smoke alarms
Ensure you have at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home and that you test them at least monthly.
Please be aware that some children may not be woken by smoke alarms.
Fit a childproof guard in front of open fires or heaters – the best ones can be fixed to the wall.
Make sure children don’t play near fires or heaters to avoid them getting burnt.
What your children should know
You will want to make sure children are always safe. This includes teaching them how to prevent a fire and what to do if there is one.
You will probably need to talk about fire safety with children more than once, to make sure that they have remembered and understood what you have taught them.
As a general rule younger children, around five and below, should be given clear instructions about what they should and shouldn’t do. With older children, it’s better to explain why.
It’s important that they know how to prevent a fire:
Not to touch or play with matches, lighters, candles, electrical appliances or sockets.
To tell a grown up if they see matches or lighters lying around.
To be extra careful near fires and heaters.
Never to switch on the cooker.
Not to touch saucepans.
Not to put things on top of heaters or lights.
Share these safety messages with your children so they know what to do in the event of a fire.
Tell them:
If you see smoke or flames tell a grown-up straight away.
Get out of the building as quickly as you can if there is a fire.
Don’t go back for anything, even toys or pets.
Find a phone. (You might need to go to the neighbours to find one.)
Call 999. Ask for the fire and rescue service and tell them your address. (You might want to practise making this call with children and will need to make sure they know their address.)
Only call 999 in a real emergency.
Get out as quickly as you can.
If there’s smoke, crawl along the floor (the air will be clearer down there).
Before you open a door check if it’s warm. If it is, don’t open it – fire is on the other side.
Go into a room with a window if the way out is blocked.
Put bedding or towels along the bottom of the door to stop smoke getting in.
Open the window and shout “HELP FIRE”.
Make fire safety fun. Practise what to do if your clothes catch fire…
Stop!
Don’t run around, you’ll make the flames worse.
Drop!
Lie down and roll around. It makes it harder for the fire to spread.
Roll!
Smother the flames with a heavy material, like a coat or blanket.
Have an escape plan
Plan an escape route and make sure that children and childminders or babysitters know it.
Tell them:
Practise the escape plan together with children.
Be careful to keep all exits clear.
Think about how you would get out if your escape route is blocked.
Keep door and window keys where childminders and babysitters can find them.
Make a bedtime check
You are more at risk from a fire when asleep. So it’s a good idea to check your home before you go to bed.
Check list
Close inside doors at night to stop a fire from spreading.
Turn off and unplug electrical appliances unless they are designed to be left on – like your freezer.
Check your cooker is turned off.
Don’t run appliances such as washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers overnight.
Turn heaters off and put up fireguards.
Put candles and cigarettes out properly.
Make sure exits are kept clear.
Keep door and window keys where everyone can find them.