Safety

Practicalities Getting Organised Safety What to Ask About When Booking 

Holiday accommodation is unlikely to be as safe as your home which has been gradually adapted to deter your child or children from their own preferred methods of getting into trouble. However, the following are basic features you could ask about:

• Are the floors hard or carpeted?



• Are there stairs and do these have balustrades or gaps between the steps into which small children could wedge themselves?



• If there is a pool is it fenced or at least within eyeshot of the sitting area so you can check that no-one is getting in unsupervised?



• What are the plug sockets like and can socket covers be provided? Unfortunately most countries use the two-pin system so you will not be able to provide your own from home. Note also that electricity overseas, even in Europe, can be considerably less safe than in the UK, especially in bare feet and potentially when wet from the bath or swimming. (Note also that mains electricity poles and cables in the street should be treated with extreme caution.)



• Is there a fenced/gated area to prevent children from getting off the property?



• How close and busy is the nearest road?



• Are there any full length glass windows? (These are particularly near to being invisible in bright sunlight.)



• Are there windows which can be opened by children? Casement windows above the ground floor could be a particular problem.



• Are there any balconies with balustrades or barriers children could climb over or squeeze through?



• Are there any open fires and if so do these have firmly fixed fireguards?



• Are there any breakable items such as ornaments or glass coffee tables which would be best removed?



• Are there any steep drops on or at the edge of the property?