Child safety and immunisations
Immunisations during pregnancy and the early years
It is important for you and your child to receive certain immunisations during this time to protect from certain diseases - see NHS Choices - Vaccinations (opens new window) website. To find out why immunisations are so important, please read the information on the NHS Choices (opens new window) website.
Sleep safety
Every sleep needs to be a safe sleep - whether baby is sleeping at night or during the day, at home or away from home
To reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (opens new window) (SIDS) the safe sleep advice is:
- always place your baby on their back to sleep
- keep your baby smoke free during pregnancy and after birth
- place your baby to sleep in a separate cot or Moses basket in the same room as you for the first 6 months
- breastfeed your baby, if you can
- use a firm, flat, waterproof mattress in good condition
- never sleep on a sofa or in an armchair with your baby
- avoid letting your baby get too hot
- don't cover your baby's face or head while sleeping or use loose bedding
- remove all pillows, soft bedding, cot bumpers and soft toys from the cot, to avoid accidents
Don't sleep in the same bed as your baby if you:
- smoke
- have drunk alcohol
- have taken drugs (even prescription drugs that may make you drowsy
- are extremely tired
- your baby was born prematurely
- your baby was of low birth-weight
See Co-sleeping with your baby (lullabytrust.org.uk) (opens new window) for information around co-sleeping more safely.
Travel safety from birth
- make sure the car seat is suitable for the age, height and weight of your baby/child
- not all car seats fit all cars. If the seat isn't right the child won't be safe
- when your child can walk - talk to them about how they must always hold hands with grown-ups that they know, walking on the side of the pavement furthest away from traffic
- use walking reigns if your child is likely to pull away from you
Home safety
- falls - use safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs
- suffocation - don't use duvets, quilts or pillows with babies under 12 months - use blankets or a right size lightweight sleeping bag
- poisoning - put medicines and cleaning products out of the reach of toddlers
- drowning - never leave a baby or toddler alone in or near water
- choking - keep small objects out of reach. Cut big pieces of food into small pieces; grapes should be cut into quarters or halves
- burns and scalds - put babies down before having a hot drink. Keep hair straighteners out of reach
- danger of house fires - check the fire alarm regularly
Immunisations & illnesses
- Children vaccination planner (opens new window)
- Start4Life - vaccination schedule (opens new window)
See Health protection in children and young people settings, including education (gov.uk) (opens new window) - the national UKHSA Guidance on managing common infectious diseases in schools and childcare facilities (which now incorporates what was previously the SW Spotty Book)
Child safety
- Lullaby Trust safer sleep advice (opens new window)
- Lullaby Trust advice on co-sleeping (opens new window)
- Lullaby Trust Sleep information and advice for professionals working with parents with young babies and bereaved families (opens new window)
- Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) - Campaign Action Pack (opens new window)
- One Step Ahead Chart (opens new window) - (available from CAPT or Health Visitor)
- Reducing Unintentional injuries in and around the home among children under 5 years old (opens new window)
- Teaching children about road safety (rospa.com) (opens new window)
- THINK! Road safety (opens new window) - road safety campaigns
- NHS: Head injury and concussion (opens new window)