Dad and two young boys sat on a wooden floor, looking at a book together

Safety Advice for Parents and Guardians

Children are naturally fascinated by fire. We're urging parents and guardians to take fire safety precautions with younger children and to educate older children about fire safety.

Did you know that 1,200 children under the age of 11 are injured and 35 are killed in fires in the home in the UK every year?

To help keep your children safe from fire, we recommend that you:

Don't let children play or leave toys near a fire or heater
Put a childproof fireguard in front of any open fires or heaters
Keep your escape route clear of toys and other obstructions
Place candles and tealights in holders, where children cannot reach them
Never leave children on their own in a room where there is a fire risk
Keep matches and lighters where children cannot see or reach them
Teach children not to put anything into the holes of sockets or extension leads, and consider installing plug guards if necessary
Keep portable heaters in a safe place where they can't be knocked over
Never leave children alone in the kitchen when you're cooking
Put child locks on cupboards containing anything that could be used to start a fire (e.g. matches, candles, fireworks flammable liquids etc.)