ADVICE FOR BUSINESSES

Advice for childminders

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If you work as a childminder in a domestic property (i.e. your own home or someone else's) you need to be aware of how to prevent any potential hazards and what you should do if there is a fire.

  • Smoke alarms cost from as little as £5 so there really is no excuse for not having a smoke alarm on every floor level of a house. You can get a free smoke alarm and fire safety check by booking a home fire risk assessment.
  • Check smoke alarms weekly and replace the battery in each smoke alarm every year (unless it is a 10 year smoke alarm).
  • Have an evacuation plan which ensures that the rooms used for childminding open onto a hallway or stair landing that leads to the entrance of the house or flat or you can escape through a window.
  • Keep all escape routes unobstructed and free from trip hazards.
  • Make sure you have a mobile or landline telephone to call 999 in an emergency.
  • As a childminder, you should keep a fire blanket to BS EN safety standards in the kitchen.
  • Never use portable heaters, whether they use gas, paraffin or electricity in a house where you are looking after children.
  • Use a fire guard.
  • Keep children out of the kitchen unless they are being supervised.
  • Avoid cooking when there are any children are in the kitchen
  • Matches should be avoided for use in lighting gas cookers.
  • Keep lighters, cigarettes and matches out of the sight and reach of children, preferably in a secure cabinet or a locked room.
  • Upholstered furniture should comply with The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.
  • Sockets and switched should be securely fixed to walls, multiple adapters should be avoided and there should be no obvious defects with the electrical wiring.
  • If you are caring for children overnight, ensure that there are enough adults to assist or carry children if there is a fire.

For more information, download Fire Precautions for Domestic Dwellings used for Childminding Activities (PDF) produced by The Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers' Association. 

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