Make Sure Your Blinds Are Child Safe

After seeing yet another heartbreaking news story about the death of a toddler through strangulation on blind cords, we thought it was time to remind parents about the safety measures out there to prevent these tragedies.

When you are set to become a new parent, it’s usual to baby-proof your home. You move ornaments to higher shelves, fit stair gates, fire guards and plug socket covers, ensure harmful products are out of reach or in a locked cupboard. But, unfortunately, the dangers posed by window blind cords are often overlooked.

Even if you don’t have children yourself, do any children visit your home? If you’re a grandparent who looks after grandchildren at your home, or if you have friends who visit with little ones, have you checked the safety features of your home?

If you have any type of blind in your house, roman, venetian, roller or pleated, please check to see if they are operated using a looped cord.

As this latest news story about three-year-old Rosie shows, it takes just a couple of minutes for a child to lose their life if they get caught in one of these cords – and it is completely preventable.

New blinds

We only supply blinds with child safety features built in – in line with the latest European regulations.  If you are buying a new window covering for a child’s room, then you should consider designs that work without cords or chains.  All of our blind styles can be made either completely cordless, or with a tab or wand type controller.

You might want to consider our PerfectFit blinds which are installed into a made-to-measure casing, or our motorised blinds which can be opened and closed at the touch of a button.

More safety features in our blinds range:

• Our standard Roman, Venetian, Wood Venetian and free-hang pleated blinds are installed with a cleat for the controls to be wrapped around. This device is fitted at a height of at least 1.5 metres from the ground.
• Our Roller, Vertical and deluxe Roman blinds are fitted with a hook to keep the controls taut.
• Breakaway components are another safety feature of certain blinds, which sense when a certain amount of force is placed upon them. These are also easy to reassemble if you pull a control too hard and they end up breaking away accidentally.

Existing blinds

If you have existing blinds in your home that are fitted with looped cords, we can fit child safety devices to protect against accidents.

Further advice

There is lots of information and advice out there about child safety in the home – and there is a dedicated website and brochure available specifically about window blind safety.

Visit www.makeitsafe.org.uk or download the advice brochure here.

Watch this informative video that outlines the dangers blind cords pose, and how to overcome them.

BBSA Make it Safe from BBSA on Vimeo.
If you would like further information or a quote on our child-safe blinds for your home, please contact our friendly team who will be more than happy to help.