Blog

Short, practical reads on keeping children safe at home. Every post links its sources.

A father kneels by an upstairs bedroom window fitting a small white window lock while his toddler daughter plays with a wooden stacking toy on the carpet behind himLatest · Around the house

Windows, balconies and change tables: Kidsafe WA's free guide to stopping falls

Falls are the most common reason children end up at Perth Children's Hospital.

3 min readRead the story

Someone to call or talk to9 reads

Topics
A mother sits at a sunny kitchen table with a cup of tea, reading on her laptop, while her one-year-old eats cut-up fruit in a high chair beside herHelp lines

Raising Children Network: the free, ad-free parenting site that answers safety questions at 2am

Raising Children Network is Australia's government-funded parenting website. What its safety section covers for babies and toddlers, the picture guides for CPR and choking, the guides in other languages, and how to find what you need fast.

3 min read A mother crouches in the laundry on the phone, reading the side of a box from the open cupboard, while her toddler stands beside her and watchesHelp lines

13 11 26: what happens when you call the Poisons Information Centre about your child

The WA Poisons Information Centre answers 13 11 26 around the clock. When to call, what they will ask you, what to do while you dial, and the few minutes of setting up at home that stop most calls happening at all.

3 min read A young mother walks a pram along a leafy suburban footpath in late-afternoon light, talking on her phone with a faint, relieved smileHelp lines

PANDA National Helpline: free support for parents who are not OK, from pregnancy through the first year

PANDA's National Helpline, 1300 726 306, is a free, confidential line for expecting and new mums and dads struggling with anxiety, low mood or the shock of parenthood. Hours in Perth time, what happens when you call, and the online checklist.

3 min read A father sits on the edge of the bed in warm lamplight talking on the phone, his sleepy toddler in floral pyjamas resting on his chest with a toy rabbit, a thermometer and a glass of water on the bedside tableHelp lines

healthdirect 1800 022 222: a free nurse, any hour, when your child is sick and you don't know what to do

healthdirect is the free Australian Government health line, answered by registered nurses 24 hours a day. When to call, what happens on the call, the online Symptom Checker for babies and children, and how to find an open GP, pharmacy or urgent care clinic near you.

3 min read A young mother sits in a teal armchair smiling down at her baby asleep in a carrier on her chest, a counsellor on a video call on the laptop beside herHelp lines

Gidget Foundation: free counselling for expecting and new parents, by video from home or face to face in Perth

Gidget Foundation Australia offers free one-to-one therapy for parents from pregnancy to the baby's first birthday, by video call anywhere in Australia or at Gidget Houses in Joondalup, Yanchep and Harrisdale, plus free online groups for mums, dads and couples. What it covers, who can use it and how to start.

3 min read A young father sits on a couch in warm lamplight, talking on the phone, his newborn asleep on its back in a bare bassinet beside himHelp lines

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby: a free nurse on the phone or video, from pregnancy to age 5

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is a free Australian Government helpline. Call 1800 882 436 or video call a maternal child health nurse, 7am to midnight eastern time, every day, about anything from pregnancy until your child turns 5.

3 min read A tired mother sits at her kitchen table in soft morning light, smiling as she talks on the phone with her baby held on her lapHelp lines

Ngala Parenting Line: free advice for WA parents, 8am to 8pm every day

Ngala's Parenting Line is free for WA parents and carers. Call (08) 9368 9368 any day from 8am to 8pm and talk to a child health nurse, midwife or social worker about sleep, feeding, behaviour or how you're coping. No referral needed.

2 min read A mother sits on a verandah step talking calmly on her phone while her toddler plays beside herHelp lines

Emergency+: the free app that tells 000 where you are

Emergency+ is the free national app built by Australia's emergency services. It calls Triple Zero (000) in one tap and shows your exact location on screen, so you can read it to the call-taker. Set it up in two minutes.

3 min read A child health nurse kneels beside a baby scale, smiling at a mother and father with their happy baby on the mother's lap in a bright clinic roomHelp lines

Five free child health nurse checks for every WA child, from birth to age 3

Every child in Western Australia gets five free appointments with a community child health nurse: at 0 to 14 days, 8 weeks, 4 months, 12 months and 2 years. What happens at each one, how to book in Perth or country WA, and the free parenting groups that come with it.

4 min read

First aid and CPR6 reads

Topics
A young father sits on a couch in soft morning light, his sleeping newborn on his chest in a wrap, reading on his phoneFirst aid

First Aid for New Parents: St John WA's free 15-minute course for your baby

St John WA's free online course teaches the DRSABCD action plan, CPR, choking and minor burns for babies in about 15 minutes. No cost, no class to book, and you can stop and come back.

2 min read A grandfather and a young mother kneel on mats in a bright community room, each holding an infant training manikin face-down along their arm to practise back blowsFirst aid

Heart Beat Club in person: three hours of hands-on CPR for parents, $42, or free through your group

Royal Life Saving WA's face-to-face Heart Beat Club teaches infant and child CPR and first aid on real manikins in Perth for $42. Community groups can apply for a grant to run it free.

3 min read A mother and father kneel on a teal mat practising first aid on an infant training doll while a trainer in a green polo shirt points and smilesFirst aid

Tiny Tots First Aid: one morning with St John WA to learn baby and toddler CPR

St John WA's Tiny Tots First Aid is a hands-on class for parents, grandparents and carers of babies and toddlers. CPR, choking, drowning, burns, fevers and more, $90, at training centres across Perth and regional WA. What it covers and how to book.

3 min read A father kneels in a park and puts a plaster on his young daughter's grazed knee, his phone on the bench beside themFirst aid

St John First Responder: the free WA first aid app for parents

St John WA's free First Responder app puts first aid guides, a map of nearby defibrillators and urgent care wait times on your phone. Once a first aid course is done, you can also sign up to help neighbours in an emergency within 500 metres.

3 min read A grandmother sits on a lounge room couch reading her phone while a toddler stacks wooden blocks on the rug beside her, a small first aid kit on the coffee tableFirst aid

The Red Cross First Aid app: free, offline, and in your family's language

The free First Aid app from the Red Cross keeps step-by-step first aid and CPR on your phone without signal, quizzes you so it sticks, and switches language for grandparents and carers.

2 min read Royal Life Saving WA's Heart Beat Club Online Learning page, listed as free, with a parent couple playing with their baby on the floorFirst aid

Build confidence in caring for little ones with free online first aid learning

Royal Life Saving WA's Heart Beat Club Online Learning is free: infant and child CPR and first aid for choking, burns, scalds and drowning, in about an hour from home.

1 min read

Around the house11 reads

Topics
A father kneels by an upstairs bedroom window fitting a small white window lock while his toddler daughter plays with a wooden stacking toy on the carpet behind himAround the house

Windows, balconies and change tables: Kidsafe WA's free guide to stopping falls

Falls are the most common reason children end up at Perth Children's Hospital. Kidsafe WA's free guides give the exact measurements for windows and balconies, and the simple habits that stop babies rolling off change tables and toddlers tumbling down stairs.

3 min read A grandmother at a low coffee table checks the screwed-shut battery cover on a toy fire truck while her toddler grandson plays with big wooden blocks on the rug, a small Christmas tree behind themAround the house

Safe toys and gifts: Kidsafe WA's free checklist before you buy, wrap or play

Toys send around 300 WA children to Perth Children's Hospital emergency every year, most of them under five. Kidsafe WA's free Safe Gift Giving Checklist takes two minutes: age, small parts, button batteries, magnets, cords, recalls and the helmet that goes with the bike.

4 min read In a Perth backyard under a gum tree, a mother crouches with a hand on her small daughter's back as the girl holds out a closed fist for the calm golden family dog to sniffAround the house

Dogs and little kids: keeping the family dog and your toddler safe together

Most dog bites to young children come from the family dog or a dog they know, at home. Raising Children Network's free guide and Kidsafe WA's fact sheet show parents when to keep them apart, how to pat a dog safely, and what to do if a bite happens.

5 min read A mother kneels beside a half-filled bath and checks the water with a floating bath thermometer while her toddler, wrapped in a teal towel, watches from the bath matAround the house

Burns and scalds at home: Kidsafe WA's free checklist and the five first aid steps

A cup of tea, the bath tap, the heater. Kidsafe WA's free fact sheet and Home Burns Safety Checklist show you where burns happen, how hot is too hot, and what to do in the first 20 minutes.

4 min read A father stands on a step stool in a bright hallway pressing the test button on a ceiling smoke alarm while his young daughter holds his leg and watchesAround the house

Smoke alarms and a home fire escape plan: the WA fire service's free guide for families

DFES, WA's fire service, has a free guide to smoke alarms and home fire escape plans. Which alarms to get, where they go, the monthly test, the 10-year rule, renters' rights, and how to make a plan your kids can follow.

3 min read A pregnant woman and her partner stand in a bright hallway looking at a white safety gate fitted at the bottom of a short staircaseAround the house

Kidsafe WA's Safety Demonstration House: see a child-safe home before you fix your own

Kidsafe WA runs a real house in West Leederville fitted out to show what keeps young children safe. Drop in on a weekday for a gold coin, join a guided tour, or book the Baby Safety Seminar before your baby arrives. There's an online version too.

3 min read A parent fixes a wall strap to a chest of drawers while a toddler stacks blocks on the rug nearbyAround the house

Do I need to anchor furniture and the TV? Yes. Here's how

Toppling furniture and TVs have killed at least 28 Australians since 2000, 17 of them children under five. How to anchor drawers, bookcases and the TV.

2 min read A parent fixes a blind cord tensioner to the window frame while a toddler plays on the floor near a cot across the roomAround the house

Are blind cords dangerous? How to make every window safe

Loose blind and curtain cords can strangle a young child in moments. What Australian law requires, and how to secure the cords already in your home.

2 min read A parent puts medicines into a high, child-locked cupboard while a toddler plays with blocks belowAround the house

Medicines and laundry pods: up, locked, and 13 11 26

Where to keep medicines and pods, what "child-resistant" really means, and what to do in the first minutes.

2 min read A parent moves a mug of tea back from the bench edge while a toddler watches from the kitchenAround the house

Hot drinks scald toddlers: five habits and the 20-minute rule

Scalds cause 52% of child burns, and the cup of tea in your hand can be enough. Five habits that stop it, and the 20-minute first aid rule.

1 min read A parent's hand reaches for a button battery on a kitchen bench before a toddler can grab it, beside a remote and a car keyAround the house

Button batteries: go to emergency, don't wait

A swallowed button battery can burn through a child's food pipe within hours. What to look for, what to do, and where they hide at home.

1 min read

Babies and sleep4 reads

Topics
A mother kneels in a sunny nursery and shakes the side rail of a new white cot to check it is firm, a booklet open on the floor, while her baby lies on their back on a play mat nearbyBabies and sleep

Buying a cot, pram or high chair? The ACCC's free Keep baby safe guides

ACCC Product Safety has a free guide for every big baby purchase: cots, bassinets, prams, car seats, carriers, high chairs, walkers, bouncers, bath aids and toys. What each guide tells you, how to use them when buying new or second-hand, and the free Choke Check tool.

4 min read A mother kneels in a sunny lounge room fitting a white safety gate in the kitchen doorway while her crawling baby smiles up at her from a play matBabies and sleep

A Parent's Guide to Baby's First Year: Kidsafe WA's free 28-page safety guide

Kidsafe WA's free guide walks you through every common injury in your baby's first 12 months, from falls and scalds to choking, blind cords and hot cars, with first aid steps on the same page. Here's what's in it and how to get it.

4 min read A baby sleeps on their back in a sleeping bag in a bare cot beside the parents' bed, a parent's hand resting on the railBabies and sleep

How should my baby sleep? Red Nose's six safe sleep steps

Red Nose's six safe sleep recommendations for every baby from birth to 1 year, what makes a cot safe, and the free advice line to call.

2 min read A mother sits at a kitchen bench reading her phone, with a baby bottle and a wooden toy on the bench and a toddler's toy high chair behind herBabies and sleep

Product recalls: how to check your baby's things and get free alerts from the ACCC

The ACCC lists every recalled consumer product in Australia and emails you free alerts for the kinds you choose, such as cots, prams, toys and button batteries. How to search it, how to sign up, and what to do if something you own is recalled.

3 min read

Water and swimming5 reads

Topics
A smiling swimming instructor stands waist-deep at a calm WA beach with four school-age children in goggles, a parent watching from the sandWater

VacSwim: low-cost school holiday swimming lessons for WA kids

VacSwim teaches WA children from 5 to 17 to swim at more than 175 pools and beaches in the school holidays, from $16.50 a child. Summer is full, but late places open in person a week or two before lessons start.

3 min read A swim teacher waist-deep in a warm indoor learner pool passes a smiling toddler in a teal swim cap to the child's mother in the waterWater

Swim and Survive: swimming lessons for WA babies and toddlers, and how to find a good swim school

Royal Life Saving's Swim and Survive and Infant Aquatics lessons start at 6 months, with you in the water beside your child. What your child learns at each age, how to find a Royal Life Saving WA endorsed swim school near you, and what to ask before you pay.

3 min read A parent sits by a home pool behind a glass fence and watches a toddler playing on the lawn outside itWater

Pool fences in WA: the rules, and the four Keep Watch habits

What a WA pool barrier must do, the gate checks that matter most, and Royal Life Saving's four Keep Watch actions for children under 5.

2 min read A parent kneels beside a toddler on a backyard lawn and points through a glass pool fence with a self-closing gate latchWater

Kids Alive Do the Five: five water safety steps for families with little ones

Laurie Lawrence's Kids Alive program teaches five steps against toddler drowning: fence the pool, shut the gate, teach your kids to swim, supervise, learn to resuscitate. Free songs, books, colouring sheets and an app.

2 min read Water

The Haddon matrix and drowning: twelve places to stop it

Injury scientists use one grid to find every point where an injury can be prevented. Here it is applied to toddlers and water at home, cell by cell.

4 min read

Cars, roads and outdoors8 reads

Topics
A father crouches under a shade sail at a park playground and rubs sunscreen onto his three-year-old daughter's cheek; she wears a bucket hat and a long-sleeved rash top and holds a sand spadeCars and roads

SunSmart Global UV app: know when your child needs a hat, before you leave the house

The free SunSmart Global UV app from Cancer Council shows the UV level where you are and the times of day to cover up. What it does, how to set up a daily alert, and Cancer Council's sun advice for babies and young children.

3 min read A mother holds her young son's hand as he steps out of the rear kerb-side door of a parked car onto a leafy Perth footpathCars and roads

Holding hands near the road: Kidsafe WA's free guide to keeping little walkers safe

Young children can't judge speed, can't tell where a sound is coming from, and are too small for drivers to see. Kidsafe WA's free pedestrian fact sheet gives parents the simple habits that keep them safe on footpaths, at crossings and getting out of the car.

3 min read In a shaded Perth car park under gum trees, a father lifts his smiling toddler out of his car seat, a sunshade on the back window, while the mother stands beside them holding his water bottleCars and roads

Hot cars: Kidsafe WA's free fact sheet for a Perth summer with little ones

A parked car can get more than 30 degrees hotter than the air outside, and most of that heat builds in the first five minutes. Kidsafe WA's free Hot Cars fact sheet gives parents the simple habits that keep babies and toddlers safe in the car this summer.

3 min read A father in a work shirt and hat watches through a closed pool-style gate as his toddler plays with toys on the grass inside a small fenced play yard beside a WA farmhouse, a ute, shed and golden paddocks behindCars and roads

Farm safety for little kids: a fenced play yard, and Kidsafe WA's free checklist

On a farm, the backyard is also a workplace. Kidsafe WA's free farm safety fact sheet, parent's guide and checklist show WA families how to build a safe play yard and fix the biggest hazards: water, vehicles, quad bikes, chemicals and animals.

4 min read A mother on the front verandah holds her toddler's hand behind a closed gate, both waving, as the father reverses the family car out of the brick-paved drivewayCars and roads

Driveways and parked cars: Kidsafe WA's free fact sheet in three words

About one toddler a week is run over in an Australian driveway, usually by someone they know, in a car moving slowly. Kidsafe WA's free fact sheet boils it down to Supervise, Separate, See. Here's how to set up your home.

3 min read A father leans into the back of a family car in a sunny driveway, checking the harness of an empty baby capsuleCars and roads

Hire a car seat from Kidsafe WA, fitted for you

Need a baby capsule for a few months, a seat for visiting grandchildren, or a special seat after a cast? Kidsafe WA hires child car seats from West Leederville, and every hire includes professional installation. Prices, what to bring, and how to book.

3 min read A mother with her toddler on her hip holds up her phone beside a row of baby capsules in a bright baby storeCars and roads

Which car seat is safest? Check the crash-test star ratings first

Every car seat sold in Australia passes the same minimum standard, but some protect far better in a crash. Child Car Seats publishes free, independent crash-test star ratings for over 200 seats. How to read them and use them before you buy.

3 min read A car seat fitter checks a rear-facing baby seat through the back door of a family car while a parent holds their baby and watchesCars and roads

Is my child's car seat fitted right? Find a car seat fitter in WA

RoadWise lists trained Type 1 child car seat fitters across WA who install and check your child's car seat, plus a free advice line on 1300 780 713.

3 min read

Online2 reads

Topics
A father sits on the kitchen floor with his four-year-old daughter, pointing at her crayon drawing of a house and a heart while she colours and smiles up at himOnline

Playing IT Safe: three free online games that teach your preschooler how the internet works

Playing IT Safe, from the Australian Federal Police, the Alannah & Madeline Foundation and the eSafety Commissioner, gives parents of children before school age three short games to play together, a printable family technology plan and plain advice sheets. Plus ThinkUKnow's free parent talks.

4 min read A mother sits on the lounge room rug beside her four-year-old son, pointing at a tablet propped on a low wooden table while he smiles, a basket of picture books and wooden toys beside themOnline

eSafety Early Years: online safety for under-fives, starting with the tablet on the coffee table

The eSafety Commissioner's free Early Years program helps parents keep children under 5 safe on screens. The four messages, a picture book and song, a family tech agreement made with Play School, and what to teach first.

3 min read

Groups and how safety works4 reads

Topics
A dad, a mum and a grandmother sit on a rug in a sunny community hall while toddlers play with wooden blocks, a play kitchen and picture booksHow safety works

Playgroup WA: other parents, one morning a week, and a free first visit

Playgroup WA lists hundreds of local playgroups for babies to five-year-olds and their carers. Try one free, then it's usually under $5 a week plus $35 a year, with insurance included.

3 min read A Kidsafe presenter holds up a cupboard lock for a small circle of parents with babies and toddlers in a bright community roomHow safety works

Book a free Kidsafe WA safety talk for your parent group

Kidsafe WA will come to your mothers' group, playgroup or workplace and run a free one-hour talk on keeping children under five safe at home, at play and in the car. What it covers, who can book, regional visits, and the free webinars you can join from home.

3 min read How safety works

Critical controls: the six checks that prevent deaths at home

Mines keep people alive by naming the few controls that stop a fatal event and checking them on a schedule. Here are six for a family home, with how to check each one.

4 min read How safety works

The hierarchy of controls at home: why "keep an eye on them" comes last

Every Australian workplace must rank its safety controls from strongest to weakest. Supervision sits near the bottom. Here is the same ladder for a family home.

4 min read