Childcare professionals

While adults can use many products safely, there are infant and nursery items, toys, furnishings and home wares that present risks to babies and young children.

Because you care for multiple children with unique needs, it is very important to ensure that any toys, play equipment and infant and nursery products you use meet the requirements of relevant mandatory standards and have not been banned or recalled. As a childcare professional, you can also play a vital role in discussing safety with parents and carers.

Babies have limited movement, strength and ability to tell you when things go wrong. This means they can get stuck in dangerous situations and have no way of helping themselves. Children can also be at greater risk because they are developing physically and mentally and may not have the capacity to identify the hazards of a particular product, or seek help when something goes wrong. As children experiment with their environment, they may play with products in unusual and inappropriate ways.

Left to their own devices, young children will place anything and everything in their mouths. They will also reach up for things that can harm them and climb up on furniture they can fall off or that can topple on them.

As a childcare professional, you have a crucial role in protecting babies, infants and children from risks associated with products.

This page provides links to information that can help you keep your childcare environment safe.

Relevant product categories

• Clothing & accessories
• Infant & nursery
• Toys
• Sports & recreation
• Furniture, homewares & window furnishings

See also products other authorities cover under the Product categories section.

Tips, myths and FAQs

For all tips related to consumer safety, view Consumer focused tips.

For all myths related to consumer safety, view Consumer focused myths.

For all FAQs related to consumer safety, view Consumer focused FAQs.