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Fire Safety for Children

Keeping Children Safe

The Building Safety Act 2022 came into effect from 1st of October 2023. Section 156 amended the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, setting the requirement for all fire risk assessments to be recorded irrespective of the number of employees or whether there is a license in force.

A risk assessment should identify possible risks and once identified, risks should ideally be removed or, as a minimum, reduced to an acceptable level.

A fire safety risk assessment should cover -

• Emergency escape practices - it is not a requirement of the statutory framework in England to carry out fire practices – but it is important children know how to get outside in an emergency and regular fire practices are good practice.
• Keeping the house safe - for example, you might consider using a fire guard if you have a fireplace; you should check rooms in which children sleep for fire hazards.
• Procedures if children sleep upstairs - fire officers normally advise the childminder gets out of the house and rings 999 and the fire service will rescue any children sleeping upstairs.
• Smoke alarms and CO2 detectors - all premises must have some way of warning staff, children and visitors that there is a fire. Alarms and detectors should be in good working order and tested regularly. They will usually be located in circulation areas– but if the childminder offers overnight care or the house is 3 storeys high, further advice should be sought from the fire safety officer.
• Fire escapes - escape routes must be kept clear from trip hazards eg shoes by the door and doors must be easy to open in an emergency and keys must be accessible for the childminder.
• Furniture and furnishings - all furniture and furnishings should comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations.
• Smoking materials - childminders must not smoke when children are present and smoking materials must be kept out of sight and reach of children. this includes the risks posed by electronic cigarettes which might be plugged in to charge during the day.
• Electrical safety - it is not a requirement to use socket covers because they make sockets dangerous. Multiple adaptors are discouraged; cables should be out of sight and reach of the children.
• Fire blanket - should be located on the wall near (but not behind) the cooker – it is not to be used to put out a fire (according to the fire officer) but might be useful to wrap someone who is burning.
• Fire escape signs - childminders do not need to display fire evacuation signs or have further fire control equipment – the fire officer advises immediate exit of the house and ring 999 in an emergency.

In an emergency: the first priority is always the safe evacuation of the adult/s and children on the premises. Emergency ‘grab bags’ and attendance registers should only be collected if they are easily accessible on the route to the escape door. It is good practice to keep keys on the person and a mobile phone in a pocket.

Additional information about fire safety should be considered for childminders who offer overnight care.

Staff training: if you work with assistants / staff you must train them as part of induction training.

Regular fire practices will ensure procedures are practiced and any problems are resolved.

Teach children: there are lots of ways you can help children to be more aware of the dangers of fire and teach them how to evacuate safely in case of emergency, for example -

• Plan a monthly fire practice to include as many of the children as possible.  Make some of the practices planned, where you sit and talk about safety before leaving the house and others totally unplanned, where you all have to get up and go outside.

• Involve the children when you check the smoke detector every week.
• Ask the children to help you write your fire safety risk assessment.
• Design a fire escape poster for the children, taking photos of them during a fire practice and using the photos for the poster.

• Sing along to the Fireman Sam theme tune; learn the song ‘I'm a Fire fighter’ and do the actions to the tune of I’m a Little Teapot – ‘I'm a fire fighter, my name is John, I put my boots and helmet on. I hurry to the fire and give a shout! With a burst of water, the fire is out!’

Teach children how to be safe

• Encourage children to tell you if they find matches or lighters when you are on outings.
• Model fire safety - let them see you being careful about fire risks.
• Older children can take part in safe activities with fire such as lighting a bonfire or a candle while supervised by an adult.
• Hoax calls to the fire brigade put lives in danger. You must emphasise when you are talking about what number to call that it is wrong to call 999 for fun.

• When you see a programme on the TV or hear a news item about fire, use it as a learning opportunity.
• Tell children it is more important for them to be alive than for them to look silly in front of their friends by joining in activities with fire that they know are wrong.