CFC 24: Practical health and safety when with young children

CFC 24 focuses on practical health and safety when caring for young children, both at home and when out in the community. The links on this page cover safety guidance on toys and equipment, instructions on cleaning materials, rules for outings, common home hazards, safety features and equipment, and fire safety. This introduction helps you see the main purpose: keeping children safe through awareness, routine checks and sensible supervision.

Young children are curious, fast, and still learning what is safe. That means adults must think ahead. Good health and safety practice is not about stopping children from exploring. It is about creating an environment where children can learn and play with risks managed sensibly. This includes checking equipment, spotting hazards, following instructions, and supervising in ways that match a child’s age and stage of development.

The first part of the unit looks at health and safety guidance, symbols or instructions on children’s equipment and toys. In practice, this can include age suitability labels, choking hazard warnings, assembly instructions, weight limits, and guidance about supervision. These are there to prevent accidents. Taking a moment to check a label—especially on new equipment—can avoid avoidable risk.

You will also identify health and safety instructions on cleaning materials commonly found in a home. Cleaning products often carry hazard symbols and instructions about safe use, storage and ventilation. In settings and homes, these products must be stored out of reach, used according to instructions, and never transferred into unlabelled containers. Following these rules protects children from poisoning, burns and breathing irritation.

Outings are included because different risks apply outside the home. The unit asks you to identify health and safety rules when taking children into the street or to the park. This can include holding hands near roads, using buggies or reins appropriately, supervising closely near water or climbing equipment, checking the environment for hazards (broken glass, dog fouling), and following agreed ratios and headcounts. Clear routines help children understand expectations in public spaces.

The second part of the unit focuses on hazards in the home and safety features that reduce risk. Home hazards can include stairs, hot drinks, sharp objects, small items that could be swallowed, medicines, electrical sockets, trailing cords, blind cords, baths and buckets of water, and unsecured furniture. Safety features might include stair gates, cupboard locks, socket covers (where appropriate), fire guards, corner protectors, non-slip mats, and safe storage for medicines and cleaning products.

Safety equipment and controls for outings are also covered, including safety when walking, travelling in a car, and using playgrounds. This can include appropriate car seats, checking seatbelts, using prams safely, supervising children on play equipment, and making sure children know simple boundaries (“We stay where you can see me”). The aim is to support children’s independence while keeping them within safe limits.

Fire safety is the final part of the unit. You will list fire safety equipment recommended in a house, identify possible fire hazards, and describe your actions to keep a young child safe if there is a fire. Fire safety equipment often includes smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms where needed, fire blankets (commonly in kitchens), and a clear escape plan. Fire hazards may include unattended cooking, candles, faulty plugs, overloaded sockets, and matches or lighters left accessible. In an emergency, the priority is to get children out safely and call for help, following the relevant procedure.

Here’s a practice example: in a childminder’s home, you notice a child keeps reaching for a phone charger cable. A practical safety response might include moving cables out of reach, using cable tidies, and providing a safe alternative activity that meets the child’s curiosity. Another example: at a park, a child wants to climb high equipment. You support safe challenge by staying close, checking the surface, reminding the child of safe use, and stepping in only when needed to prevent harm.

It’s also important to remember that children learn safety through adults’ calm, consistent guidance. Simple explanations like “Hot hurts” or “We hold hands by the road” help children understand boundaries. Over time, these routines support children to develop their own awareness of risk.

As you work through the links on this page, keep your answers practical and linked to real environments—homes, parks, streets and early years settings. By the end of CFC 24, you should be able to identify common safety guidance and hazard instructions, recognise home hazards and safety features, describe safety measures for outings and travel, and outline basic fire safety equipment, hazards and actions to keep young children safe.

1. Know about health and safety guidelines and instructions

2. Know about health and safety equipment which helps to keep children safe

3. Know about fire safety when with young children

End of content

End of content