During the first three years, children are constantly growing and acquiring new skills and knowledge. Surveillance systems have shown that injury is the leading threat to the health and well-being of young children. When families understand how children can get hurt and know what to do to protect them, infants and toddlers can learn and grow safely.¹

Many injuries occur in the home where young children spend most of their time.  As a home visitor, you can help families prevent childhood injuries. Whether families bring up concerns or you introduce the topic, safety is an important part of your work with families. 

Use this tool to share safety tips with families. Each section includes a review of child development and how it relates to injury prevention strategies. It also includes safety tips organized by families’ daily routines. Some tips apply to all children, while others address the developmental needs of children in a specific age group. When a family has children at different developmental levels, review the safety tips for each.

Home visitors can use this tool to: 

• Learn safety tips to share with families
• Explain the reasons for specific safety measures
• Support families to build safe daily routines for children of all ages and developmental abilities

¹ Morrongiello, B., & Corbett, M. (2008). Elaborating a Conceptual Model of Young Children's Risk of Unintentional Injury and Implications for Prevention Strategies. Health Psychology Review, 2(2).

Last Updated: September 30, 2022