Childhood accident prevention

Each year many babies and children are admitted to hospital, killed or injured in accidents that are entirely preventable.

We have compiled tips for preventing accidents and injuries and staying safe, even when sleeping.

Safer sleep advice for babies

Each year a small number of babies sadly die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, sometimes called SIDS or cot death. While the cause of SIDS is not known, research shows that following safer sleep advice can significantly reduce the risk.

The safest place for a baby to sleep is in their own clear, flat, separate sleeping space such as a cot or Moses basket, which is clear from toys, loose bedding or cot bumpers. SIDS is reduced when a baby is put to sleep on their back and the room is between 16 and 20˚C. The risk of SIDS is 50 times higher for babies when they sleep on a sofa or armchair with an adult. They are also at risk of accidental death or injury as they can slip into a position where they are trapped or can’t breathe.

Breastfeeding for at least two months has been shown to halve the risk of SIDS, and smoking while pregnant or after the baby is born has been shown to increase the risk of SIDS.

Safer co-sleeping

Many parents find themselves co-sleeping whether they mean to or not. Some parents choose to share a bed or other sleep surface with their baby.

The Lullaby Trust provides advice on how to make beds safe for a baby to co-sleep safely, including when not to co-sleep.

Safer sleep advice is also available from the NHS Better Health Start for Life website.

See information on breastfeeding and help to stop smoking.

Safer sleep podcast

Wandsworth Safeguarding Children's Partnership (WSCP) have developed a podcast promoting safer sleep, including the correct use of baby-carrying slings. Facilitated by WSCP Business Manager Kamilah McCalman, this live discussion features Dr Lin Graham-Ray, Sleep Consultant Hannah Wallace, and George Alderman, whose seven-week-old son sadly passed away. The podcast covers safer sleep practices, updates and support.

Poisoning including medicine safety

To reduce risk:

• Keep medicines, cleaning products and chemicals out of sight and reach of children, preferably in a locked cupboard
• Wherever possible, buy products in child resistant containers
• Always store chemicals in their original containers
• Dispose of unwanted medicines and chemicals safely
• Avoid buying plants with poisonous leaves or berries or those that can irritate the skin

Burns and scalds

To reduce risk:

• Never hold a hot drink and a child at the same time and put hot drinks out of reach and away from the edges of tables and worktops
• Never leave young children alone in the bathroom
• When running a bath turn the cold water on first and always test the water temperature with your elbow before letting a child get into the bath or shower
• Encourage the use of a coiled flex or a cordless kettle
• Keep small children out of the kitchen whenever possible
• Run the domestic hot water system at 46°C
• Always use rear hotplates and turn the panhandles away from the front of the cooker
• Keep hot irons, curling tongs and hair straighteners out of reach even when cooling down

Toy safety including button batteries and magnets

To reduce risk:

• Choose toys appropriate to the age of the child
• Ensure small objects such as marbles, peanuts, batteries and magnets and are kept out of reach of children under three years old
• Encourage older children to keep their toys away from their younger playmates

Suffocating and choking

To reduce risk:

• Cut small food such as grapes, cherry tomatoes, blackberries and other soft fruits into quarters to prevent choking
• Keep nappy sacks and plastic bags out of the reach of babies and young children
• Don’t leave a baby alone with their bottle propped up to feed. This has a serious risk of choking.
• Avoid giving young children balloons to blow up and clear away any broken bits straight away
• Keep pull cords on curtains and blinds short and out of reach
• Keep animals out of the bedroom and use a net on prams to prevent pets from entering

Windows and balconies

To reduce risk:

• Fit safety catches, locks or window restrictors to windows
• Keep keys to window locks in a place where you can easily find them, in case you need to escape from a fire
• Keep furniture like beds and sofas away from windows to prevent children from climbing and reaching windows
• Make sure there’s nothing else near a window or balcony – like a toy box, or a chair – that young children can use as a step
• Don’t leave children unattended near or on a balcony
• Don’t leave the door to your balcony open if you are not in the room

Water safety and drowning

To reduce risk:

• Never leave children or babies in the bath unsupervised, even for a moment
• Never leave uncovered bowls or buckets of water around the home
• Empty and store away paddling pools when not in use
• While children are small, fill in or securely fence off garden ponds
• Keep children safe near rivers and canals. The London Fire Brigade has more information on water safety

Garden and fire safety

To reduce risk:

• Let children take turns using a trampoline and always use a safety net. The biggest risk is having two people with very different weights jumping at the same time on a trampoline
• Keep children away from BBQs and fire pits. The ground underneath can stay hot enough to cause a serious burn for a long time after it’s been used and fire pits can still stay hot into the next day
• Teach children not to throw anything onto a fire

The Child Accident Prevention Trust has lots of information about firework and sparkler safety.

Road safety

The Child Accident Prevention Trust has a useful factsheet about road safety.

Keeping fit, active and connected

Accident prevention isn’t about keeping children indoors or away from fun activities, but making sure these are safe. There are lots of positive mental and physical health benefits to staying active.

Physical activity

Find out about our work with partner agencies to help increase physical activity and thereby reduce childhood obesity.

You might be entitled to discounted access to leisure centres through our Access for All scheme.

Read about our work on healthy schools and physical activity.

Reducing screen time

Reducing screen time is also important for children and young people, but can be a hard challenge for parents, carers and schools. 

Our Public Health team encourages schools to take part in termly ‘Disconnect to Reconnect' weeks. During these weeks schools motivate pupils and parents to consciously turn off their phones, iPads, and other devices and engage instead in activities that foster connection.

Further guidance

The Childhood Accident Prevention Trust has many child safety resources for parents, carers and professionals that can be downloaded for free. Information is also available in a variety of languages.

The NHS and The Royal Society of Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA)  also provide lots of helpful free resources and tips for keeping babies and children safe both out and about and at home. 

Public Health England has produced guidance on preventing unintentional injuries, for staff working with children under five years.

For more information and specialist health advice on keeping babies and young children safe, contact the Health Visiting Service. For school-aged children, contact the School Health Service.

Healthier Together South West London provides more information on children and young people’s health and wellbeing, including child development and keeping children safe and well.

Local accident data

Nationally, in recent years we have seen reductions in the number of children injured on our roads and in the number of children aged under five admitted to hospital following injuries.

The latest data for the borough for 2023/24 shows that Wandsworth’s rate, at 74.1/10,000, is lower than both London (75.7) and England averages (93.2). Although this data also includes deliberate injuries it suggests that Wandsworth generally fairs well in comparison to other London boroughs and the prevalence has not changed significantly over the last five years.

According to the TfL road safety dashboard the numbers of children aged 16 and under that were killed or injured on our borough’s roads has reduced from 61 in 2017 to 24 in 2024, a 60.6% reduction.

Data on emergency hospital admissions for accidental poisoning in children aged under five has seen a general decline in England since 2014 to 2017, however admissions in Wandsworth have increased slightly during this same time period. However they are not significantly different to the England average. Admissions due to accidental poisoning from medicines have also seen an increase in the borough over a similar time period.