We just wanted to share a great LinkdIn post written by Sophie, one of our Consultants; a great reminder of safety tips for those who are taking children Trick & Treating and also those who will be welcoming them at their doors.

Credit to Sophie also for the picture used here of pumpkins she carved a couple of years ago; great work Soph!

With Halloween right around the corner, I thought it would be a good opportunity to share some safety tips that you can use to keep yourselves, your children, and visiting trick or treaters safe.

It is important to remember that many Halloween costumes are highly flammable and may not be made to the same standards as regular clothing. This means that costume items may ignite and burn quicker. Buying costumes from a reputable company may mean spending a little more, but they are more likely to meet UK standards and will therefore, be safer.

You can check labels for the CE or UKCA Mark. Having these labels doesn’t mean that the item wont burn, but it should ignite and burn much slower. You can also look out for labels that say ‘This garment has undergone additional safety testing for flammability.’

It is also important to encourage children to layer up and wear ‘normal’ clothing underneath their costumes. Having clothes underneath can act as another layer of protection for the skin if the costume does catch fire.

It is also a good idea to make sure that children know what to do if their clothes do catch fire. It is good to encourage children to practice stopping, dropping to the floor, covering their face with their hands, and rolling over a few times to put the flames out. Practicing this can ensure a child knows how to react and is more likely to stay calm.

Keeping candles well out of the way of children and trick or treaters is important. While candles can create a great spooky atmosphere, having open flames can be dangerous. Using battery operated candles, glowsticks, or outdoor fairy lights can be a great alternative. There are also options for ‘no-carve pumpkins’ available – this is where you paint a design onto a pumpkin, rather than carving it. If you do choose to use candles, make sure they are kept out of the way, and away from any decorations that may catch fire.

If you are using battery operated candles or lights, it is important that these are still monitored. Small button batteries can be a choking hazard for children and can be fatal if they are swallowed.

Keeping this in mind, have a safe Halloween!