In light of today being the start of National Child Safety Week, the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Board is traveling the county highlighting the risks that surround children in the home.

National Child Safety Week starts today (Monday 23rd June) and Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Board is raising awareness to educate and inform parents, carers and children of the risks around their home that they may not think could cause them harm.

This national awareness week is all about spreading the importance of safety in the home, which is something that the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Board is supporting in Gloucestershire.

Throughout the awareness week, schools, children centres, hospitals, district councils, pharmacies and doctor surgeries around Gloucestershire will be displaying information for members of the public that provides advice on how to minimise any risks in the home.

Around the county, safety tips such as the ones below will be spread far and wide:

• Babies naturally grab things and put them in their months, to avoid suffocation and choking always keep nappies sacks out of reach and try to buy them in a roll if possible.

Since 2001, there have been 14 deaths in the UK caused by nappy sacks.

• Internal window blind cords and chains are a risk to children as they could injure or strangle themselves on them. By keeping blind cords tied up high and not hanging loosely low down, this danger is significantly reduced.

Nationally 13 child deaths have occurred as a result of these cords, since 2010.

• Children under five are most at risk from TVs toppling over onto them. Albeit flat-screen or older model, TVs should be anchored to the wall to prevent them from tipping over.

The UK has seen 8 child deaths caused by heavy objects falling on them since 2008.

Roger Clayton, the independent chair of Gloucestershire's Safeguarding Children Board, said: "During this week we want to focus on spreading awareness throughout the county on how to prevent death and serious injuries amongst children.

"It may be a national campaign, but here in Gloucestershire we're just as dedicated to preventing these tragic accidents and we will continue to do all we can to stop them from happening."

Dr Imelda Bennett, Designated Doctor for Safeguarding Children said: “If we change a few simple things in a child’s home, we can prevent many tragedies. We need to learn from the tragic lessons in order to keep children safe”.

For more information on Child Safety Week, please visit: www.gscb.org/childsafetyweek