Curtains, Blinds and Child Safety

Beautiful window treatments can make a world of difference to a room! Curtains and blinds are essential for blocking out light, maintaining privacy, sorting out the acoustics, hiding flaws and making a room look inviting and cosy. They are also often used as a design feature.

Every home has either blinds or curtains in the nursery or in a child's bedroom or playroom. They look great but blinds and curtain cords can present a strangulation hazard to children, as they may become entangled in them while trying to use, play with or play around window coverings.

Even with raised coverings, children can climb onto window sills or furniture and access the cords. It's frightening to think that cords can also strangle infants sleeping or playing in cots placed near windows where cords are within reach or hanging into cots. Since loose cords can very quickly tangle around a child’s neck and cause strangulation, it is advised that parents and carers check window furnishings and fix all dangerous cords out of children’s reach.

Curtains-Blinds.co.uk have put together a simple infographic on what you need to know about window blinds child safety and act now if you haven't done so already.

1. The first thing to do is check if there are any free hanging cords or chains with your blinds in your home. Free hanging cords and chains can be dangerous especially if no constant supervision of the child is available in the room. Some of the window blinds chains could have been equipped with two break way connectors, and a tidying up device may not be needed.

2. Step two replace your old window blinds or order child safety devices to tie up the chains and cords hanging freely. The sooner you act, the safer you can consider your home. It is wrong to think that accidents cannot happen to you, ignore safety instructions and advice. Let's make it safe.

3. Step three check for back cords. Not all the blinds have back cords, so this only applies to certain types of window blinds like roman blinds. The back cords have to have breakaway connectors and if you cannot find any the only solution is to replace these blinds right away. Roman blinds made these days come with connectors for the back cords, and these are designed to snap under pressure.

But if you do not like what you have been reading so far and do not want to go ahead with any child safe devices described above you may choose for complete peace of mind cordless or chain-less window blinds. The roller or rollers made with blackout fabrics operate by pulling the fabric, so being based on a spring system no chain is needed.

Hope this information has been helpful to new parents and parents of young children. As a new mum, I'm always cautious. As a safety measure, the cot is placed far away from the windows and blinds but as Elisha grows up, we'll definitely need to get cordless blinds. Till then all our cords are tied away and wrapped around cleats. 

Till next time...stay safe!

xox

Rani

This helpful and informative post is sponsored by www.curtains-blinds.co.uk/blog/child-safety.