Family Health Service - Is Your Baby Safe at Home?

Is Your Baby Safe at Home?

(Content revised 12/2019)

Childhood injury occurs most commonly at home. Parents play an important role in taking preventive measures to ensure their living environment is safe.

Complete this checklist to see whether your home environment is childproof.

Is Your Child Safe at Home?

Have you ever left your child alone at home or to the care of older children?
Yes/No
Do you have a first-aid kit at home?
Yes/No
Do you know first-aid?
Yes/No

Bedroom

(Questions 1- 9 are particularly important for babies in the first 6 months)

Have you placed your baby on the back to sleep?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Have you placed your baby to sleep on soft and fluffy objects like quilt, soft pillow, sheepskin or bean bag?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Have you put items (other than beddings) at where your baby sleeps?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Does your baby sleep in a cot?
Yes/No/Not applicable
If you sleep with your baby in the same bed, does your baby have his own blanket?
Yes/No/Not applicable
If someone sleeps with the baby in the same bed ,is he/she very tired, or has taken alcohol or drug?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Have you slept with your baby on sofa?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Does your baby wear light and comfortable clothing at bedtime?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Is the room where your baby sleeps well-ventilated with a comfortable temperature?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Is the distance between the vertical bars of the baby cot less than 6cm (2.5 inches)?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Does the mattress fit the size of the baby cot without leaving any gaps?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Is the height of the cot rails less than 3/4 of your baby's height?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Have you ever left your baby alone on the sofa or bed without guards (even for just a brief moment)?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Is there any rope hanging near the bed?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Is there a secured ladder on the bunk bed?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Is there any gap between the bunk bed and the wall?
Yes/No/Not applicable

Living Room

After you put your baby in a stroller, baby walker or high chair, have you secured the safety strap and kept the wheels locked?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Have you covered the sharp edges of furniture with corner protectors?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Have you locked and stowed the foldable furniture away in a secured place?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Are sockets covered with protective covers?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Are doors fixed in position with stoppers or magnets when opened?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Have any items been stacked in a way such that your child can climb up high?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Have you installed window guards and kept them locked?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Have you tied up curtain cords and put them out of the reach of your child?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Do you have tables or doors made of fragile glass at home?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Have you stored matches and lighters away properly?
Yes/No/Not applicable

Kitchen

Do you carry your baby on your back or front while working in the kitchen?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Are all sharp utensils stored out of the reach of your child?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Is medicine stored in places where your child can reach?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Is electric kettle or hot water flask placed out of the reach of your child?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Have you installed a gate at the kitchen door to prevent young children (particularly under 3) entering?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Are handles of cooking utensils turned inward on the stove?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Do you reuse drinking bottles to store detergents and other chemicals?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Have you stored or locked up detergents in cupboards where your child cannot reach?
Yes/No/Not applicable

Bathroom

Do you use a baby bath basin for bathing your baby?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Have you ever left your child in the bath alone (even for just a brief moment)?
Yes/No/Not applicable
When preparing to bathe your child, do you put cold water in before hot water and test the water temperature with your elbow?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Do you put an anti-slip mat in the bathtub?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Is the floor of your bathroom always kept dry?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Is your bathroom door always kept closed?
Yes/No/Not applicable
Have you left utensils filled with water around?
Yes/No/Not applicable

You have completed this questionnaire. Please check your answers.

Is Your Child Safe at Home?
Y=Yes N=No

1.N 2.Y 3.Y

Bedroom
1.Y 2.N 3.N 4.Y 5.Y 6.N 7.N 8.Y 9.Y 10.Y 11.Y 12.N 13.N 14.N 15.Y 16.N

Living Room
1.Y 2.Y 3.Y 4.Y 5.Y 6.N 7.Y 8.Y 9.N 10.Y

Kitchen
1.N 2.Y 3.N 4.Y 5.Y 6.Y 7.N 8.Y

Bathroom
1.Y 2.N 3.Y 4.Y 5.Y 6.Y 7.N

If your answers are the same as above, congratulations! You have provided a safe environment for your child.

If any of your answers are ‘not applicable', you still need to take note of the situations as they might happen in the future.

If any of your answers are different from the above, please improve on the circumstances concerned to ensure a safe environment for your child.