PAC F100 User manual

Facilitator Guide
Parent/Caregiver Child Safety Workshop

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Our Team
Brock University –Behaviour Health Sciences Research Lab
County of Oxford –Department of Public Health and Emergency Services
Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health
Niagara Region Public Health
Ontario Injury Prevention Resource Centre
Peterborough County-City Health Unit
The Regional Municipality of York, Community & Health Services Department, Public
Health Branch
Thunder Bay District Health Unit
Toronto Public Health
Acknowledgements
The above organizations would like to thank Public Health Ontario (PHO) and the Ontario
Neurotrauma Foundation (ONF) for its support of this project. The team gratefully
acknowledges funding received from ONF and PHO through the Locally Driven Collaborative
Projects program.
Disclaimer
The views expressed in this publication are the views of the authors and do not necessarily
reflect those of Public Health Ontario or the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation.

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Table of Contents
Introduction to the Guide ............................................................................................................... 4
Fostering a Positive Workshop Environment ................................................................................. 4
About the Workshop....................................................................................................................... 5
Workshop Components .................................................................................................................. 7
Preamble: 5-7 minutes.............................................................................................................................. 7
Main Content/Interactive Activity: 15-18 minutes................................................................................... 9
Conclusion: 5-7 Minutes ......................................................................................................................... 11
Appendix A: What? So What? Now What? Child Safety Activity ................................................. 13
Appendix B: Developmental Milestones with Children 0-36 Months .......................................... 14
Appendix C: Additional Resources in Preparation for Questions ................................................. 19
Regulated and Unregulated Children’s Products....................................................................................19
Second-Hand Products............................................................................................................................20
Ways to Inform Parents/Caregivers that Childhood Injuries are Preventable ....................................... 21
References .................................................................................................................................... 22

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Introduction to the Guide
This guide is to support you in providing a Child Safety Workshop to parents and caregivers. The
goal of the workshop is to improve the participants’ ability to recognize and prevent injuries.
After reading this guide, you will be able to:
Understand the requirements of each component of the workshop (i.e. preamble, main
content/interactive activity and conclusion)
Teach the “What? So What? Now What?”concept to prevent injuries among children
ages 0-36 months
Discuss safety issues as they relate to developmental milestones and how these
developments can put a child at risk for injury, specifically falls, burns/scalds and
poisonings
Communicate to parents/caregivers about safety-related concerns in the home setting
or be able to refer them to appropriate resources for more information
Fostering a Positive Workshop Environment
The following are strategies to help you prepare and engage parents/caregivers in
conversations about supervision and injury prevention during and outside of the workshop.
Tone of voice
Providing information and advice to parents/caregivers is better than not providing any at all.
However, this information must be delivered using the appropriate tone of voice to be effective
and not perceived as judgmental. The recommendations listed below are proven to be
effective in all social and economic groups, particularly regarding child safety (Department of
Children, Schools and Families, 2009).
DOs
DON’Ts
Treat parents/caregivers as equal partners and
present information as reminders.
Be overly authoritative. This can seem critical or
judgmental.
Be warm and factual. New and surprising facts
or practical tips are usually well-received.
Patronize or talk down to parents/caregivers.
Use every day, plain language.
Use high-level language.
Establishing a trusting and respectful relationship with parents and/or caregivers
Developing positive relationships with each parent/caregiver is key to sustaining engagement
(Child Accident Prevention Trust, 2012). Also, interactive approaches often enhance
participant’s understanding of the information provided. Interactive approaches include:
Problem-solving
Discussions where parents/caregivers contribute from their own experience
Collaborating together as a team to develop an action plan to overcome the barriers to
supervision and/or injury prevention

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About the Workshop
Workshop: 30-40 minutes in length
Target: For any parents/caregivers with children aged 0-36 months
Injuries: Falls, burns/scalds, and poisonings
Primary Focus: To develop skills for parents/caregivers to apply “What? So What? Now What?”
Aim
1. Create an environment for open communication between you and participants
2. Introduce the topic of childhood injury prevention to parents/caregivers
3. Make parents/caregivers aware that injuries are preventable
4. Teach parents/caregivers about “What? So What? Now What?”and how it can reduce
the risk of their child being injured
5. Have parents/caregivers apply the concept of “What? So What? Now What?”in a group
discussion that is tailored to the ages of those in attendance
6. Promote the tailored email messaging system that has been designed to further assist
parents/caregivers in understanding how to keep their child safe as they meet new
developmental milestones
Preparation
In getting started, you will need to:
Set a date and time for the workshop
Promote the workshop around your agency
Include registration information for parents/caregivers
Review the components of the workshop and tailor activities to match the ages of participant’s
child(ren) listed on the registrations. If available prior to the workshop, prepare for the “Child
Safety Activity” (Appendix A) by filling in the “What” column with at least three examples of
developmental milestones tailored towards those who have registered. To help you identify
key developmental milestones, refer the What? So What? Now What? Key Messages Chart
provided (Appendix B). Make sure to leave some blank copies for parents/caregivers to
brainstorm other examples; whether as a group or individually (at home).
On the day of the workshop, allow enough time to set-up all materials and electronic
equipment (if applicable). If you have access to PowerPoint (and equipment), feel free to use
this method during the facilitation of the workshop. Prepare the PowerPoint prior to the
workshop. Use the template that has been created and adapt it as necessary to suit your needs
and those in attendance. However, be cautious of how much you rely on the PowerPoint during
the workshop. The workshop should maintain the core components and remain as interactive
as possible to best facilitate learning. The PowerPoint template is also available at
www.preventchildinjury.ca under the Professional Login section.

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Materials
Tables and chairs
Name tags & markers
Pens or pencils
“What? So What? Now What?” handouts for the Child Safety Activity (Appendix A)
Facilitator Guide for reference if needed
Computer and internet access (if applicable)
Projector & screen to display PowerPoint (if applicable)
Timelines
Invite parents/caregivers to meet before the workshop begins. This gives them the opportunity
to socialize with others in the workshop group and allows for a more comforting and open
atmosphere to be established. Food could also be provided for the participants during this
time.
Timelines for the actual workshop are as follows:
Preamble: 5-7 minutes
Main Content/Interactive Activity: 15-18 minutes
Conclusion: 5-7 minutes
Consider allowing extra time after the workshop to answer any questions or concerns
participants may have.

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Workshop Components
Preamble: 5-7 minutes
The intent of the preamble is to introduce participants to yourself and set the stage for a
positive learning experience. This is the opportunity to provide some background information
about injuries and injury prevention. Share with participants the following:
Introduction
Welcome all the participants and introduce yourself. Depending on the number of participants,
consider inviting them to introduce themselves and state the age of their child(ren). If time
allows, maybe ask them which childhood injuries are of most concern to them.
What is an injury?
Injuries are defined as all the ways an individual can be physically hurt, impaired, or killed,
involving intentional or unintentional damage to the body (Ontario Ministry of Health
Promotion, 2007.
What are the different types of injuries?
Injuries can be intentional or unintentional, depending on the motive or “intent” to cause harm.
Intentional injuries include actions such as self-harm, assault, abuse and homicide.
Unintentional injuries can include falls, poisoning, burns, scalds, car crashes, or drowning.
Why are injuries common in children?
Injuries occur in children as they develop and explore their surroundings. Their bones, muscles,
vision, and balance are still developing. They are learning new skills all the time and don’t have
the risk management skills that adults have to judge whether or not activities are safe.
However, injuries can often be prevented by creating an environment, inside and outside the
home, that is safe to explore.
Statistics
In Canada (McKay et al, 2011; Fuseli et al, 2011; Smartrisk, 2009):
In Canada, injury is the leading cause of death for children and accounts for approximately
30% of all deaths in the country
Injury is also the largest health problem that has the greatest potential of being prevented
through the provision of safe, healthy environments
Furthermore, it is estimated that every month 25 children die from injury in Canada, which
is equivalent to one classroom of children dying per month
While every day, 80 children are hospitalized due to unintentional injuries
Investing in prevention strategies would decrease the overall cost of injuries. For example,
every $1 spent on prevention education by pediatricians, saves $10 in injury costs.

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In Ontario:
Household injuries are most common among children zero to four years of age (Peden et al,
2008)
Local
If local stats are available, this is a great time to share them with participants.
Leading Ontario Child Injuries
There are many ways a child can be injured. Children under five years old are most often
injured from a fall, scald or burn, or they are poisoned (Ontario Injury Prevention Resource
Centre, 2012; Yanchar et al, 2012). Falls can happen from change tables, cribs, furniture, or
down stairs. Scalds and burns can happen from spilled coffee or tea, bath water that is too hot,
or hot foods. Children can be poisoned by prescription or over the counter medication,
vitamins, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, or make-up. Other less common injuries also happen
and are also important to prevent.
The importance of play
Play is an important part of early child development. Through play, children develop their:
fine and gross motor skills
language skills through interactions
social and emotional skills
The aim of promoting child safety is not to reduce children’s physical activity or to prevent
them from exploring their environment due to the fear of them getting hurt. Therefore, injury
prevention efforts are focused on recognizing and reducing the risks for serious injuries so the
child can be kept safe during play or any other situation –not to restrict their movements or
reduce their play time.

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Main Content/Interactive Activity: 15-18 minutes
The intent of the Main Content/Interactive Activity is to introduce participants to the concept
of “What? So What? Now What?” as a prevention strategy for child injuries. It comprises of
explaining the concept and facilitating a group activity to apply the questions into practice.
Share with participants the following:
“What? So What? Now What?”
These are three questions to help participants think about child safety. It helps us identify the
new skills a child is developing and determine their risk for injury. Then we can think of ways to
keep a child safe.
What can my child do now?
So what can hurt my child?
Now what can I do to keep them safe?
What can my child do now?
Children are always changing and developing new skills. Being able to recognize what they can
do based on their stage of development is important when preventing any injury. Therefore,
the “What?” question is designed to prompt you to first consider what activities your child can
do now or will be doing soon. For example, you identify that your child is starting to roll around.
(If you use the Nippissing District Developmental Screens with your families, this is another
great resource to share with families to support them in identifying developmental milestones.)
So what can hurt my child?
A child’s risk for injury changes as they develop new motor skills. Being able to identify
potential dangers allows you to think ahead and assess your home environment for any
possible risks that can affect your child in relation to their newly developed skill. The “So
What?” question is designed to prompt you to explore and identify risks for injury. For example,
you identify that their child is now at risk for falling from places like change tables and couches
because they are starting to roll around.
Now what can I do to keep my child safe?
After new dangers have been identified, it is now time to develop a plan to keep your child safe.
Knowing how to prevent these injuries before they happen is the most important step.
Therefore, the “Now What?” question is designed to help you find ways to prevent injuries
based on your child’s skills and risks. For example, since your child is at risk for falls, placing a
hand on your child while they are on a high surface such as a change table, bed, or couch, keeps
them from falling off.
“What? So What? Now What?”can assist in the prevention of many childhood injuries.
However, for the purposes of this workshop, the main focus will be on falls, burns/scalds and
poisonings being that they are the most common injuries in children aged 0-36 months in
Ontario (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, 2009).

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To better understand how “What? So What? Now What?” can be applied to prevent child
injuries, discuss the following examples or choose your own example that is representative of
the ages of the participants’ children.
What?
What can my child do now?
So What?
So what can hurt my child?
Now What?
Now what can I do to keep my child safe?
My child is starting to roll
around.
My child could fall from places
like change tables or couches.
I can keep a hand on my baby when placed
on any type of furniture.
My child is starting to put
things in or near their
mouth.
My child could be poisoned if
they grabbed a hold of
something poisonous.
I can keep any medicine, vitamins, make-
up, and cleaning supplies locked up and
out of reach.
My child is starting to pull
themselves up to stand.
My child could get burned
when reaching for hot things
on stoves.
I can let my child play on the floor or
secure them in their highchair while I
prepare meals.
Interactive Activity (Appendix A and B)
Give each participant the “Child Safety Activity” handout (Appendix A) as well as pens/pencils.
There should be at least three skills written in the “What” column based on the ages of the
participants’ children. These can be populated in advance based on registration or as a group.
Ask participants to brainstorm answers for the “So What?” and “Now What?” columns based
on the “What” column skill. Make sure to work through each example separately to avoid
confusion. For the leading injuries of falls, scalds/burns, and poisonings for children ages 0-36
months of age see the “What? So What? Now What? Key Messages Chart” (Appendix B).
If time allows, after working through the three examples of “What? So What? Now What?”ask
the participants if anyone has another skill they are worried about that they would like to work
through as a group. If so, have participants add it to the handout and discuss the risks and
prevention strategies as a group. Inform participants that they can take the handout home and
fill in more of the boxes as their child continues to develop. This will help participants learn
how to use “What, So What, Now What” at home.
There are many resources in the community and on the internet on child safety. Many refer to
“a child’s level” or “placing things out of reach”. Define these for participants as:
Child’s level – This is everything a child sees or touches while lying, sitting, standing or
climbing based on their stage of development
Out of reach –This means that a child should not be able to touch anything when reaching,
crawling, standing or climbing. Remember that little hands can reach into places that adult
hands usually cannot.

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Conclusion: 5-7 Minutes
The intent of the Conclusion is to wrap up the workshop and highlight available community
resources. Share with participants the following:
Places to go for more information
If participants need more information on child safety, encourage families to connect with you
or other staff from your agency. Other great sources of information are:
www.preventchildinjury.ca
This website has information on What? So What? Now What? and participants can sign up
to receive emails every few months on child safety. The emails are based on the child’s
date of birth so that they are timed with developmental milestones and use the What? So
What? Now What? questions as a prompt. Just register with an email address and enter the
child’s birth date. It is free and you can unsubscribe at any time.
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/common/system/services/phu/locations.aspx
Your local Public Health Unit is another source for more parenting information.
www.ndds.ca
Nippissing District Developmental Screens –free developmental checklists for Ontario
parents and caregivers
www.parachutecanada.org
Parachute Canada –non-profit national injury prevention organization
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index-eng.ph
Health Canada –product safety information as well as information on product recalls
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/carseat/choose.shtml
Ministry of Transportation –car seats
Questions
Encourage participants to ask any outstanding question. There is additional child safety
information available to support you in having a strong foundation in childhood injury
prevention content within Appendix C. Also, you may come across the following:
Q Will my child still be able to play? I want them to be active.
AYes! Making your home safe helps avoid hazards and is not to stop your child from playing.
Play is important for a child’s growth and development. These tips are to help make your home
safe while your child learns, explores and plays.

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Q If my child has not reached the specific age related milestone, should I be concerned?
AEvery child is different. The milestones are general guidelines that are based on what your
child may be doing and learning. If you have concerns about your child’s growth and
development contact your primary care provider.
Q Is it expensive to make your home safe?
A Most of these safety tips cost little to no money. These messages encourage you to make
changes in your home such as moving dangerous objects out of reach and locking up poisonous
items. If you are considering making changes to your home, the cost may vary depending on
the home safety products that you choose.
Q How can I find out if my child products are safe?
ATo find out if the products you have are safe you can refer to Health Canada’s Recalls and
Alerts (http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/index-eng.php)
Thank You
Thank participants for their time in attending the workshop. Make yourself available after the
workshop to address and outstanding questions.

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Appendix A: What? So What? Now What? Child Safety Activity
What?
What can my child do now?
So What?
So what can hurt my child?
Now What?
Now what can I do to keep my child safe?

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Appendix B: Developmental Milestones with Children 0-36 Months
The following are examples of developmental milestones for children aged 0-36 months. This
table consists mainly of fine and gross motor skill developments; areas that are most applicable
to child safety concerns. However, please be aware that social and language developmental
milestones are also occurring as children grow. This chart is also accessible at
www.preventchildinjury.ca under the Professionals Login, Resources tab.
General safety concerns for children
What?
So What?
Now What?
What can my child do now?
So what can hurt
my child?
Now What can I do to keep my child safe?
Any developmental milestone
Burns/Scalds
Place smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors on
every level of the home and outside all bedrooms. Change
batteries twice a year at daylight saving time so that they
are always working.
A child can get third degree burns from hot water in
seconds. Reduce tap water temperature on the hot water
tank to 49°C (120°F). It will still be hot enough to shower
and will protect your child’s skin.
Any developmental milestone
Falls
Children can use furniture to climb out the window and
fall. Make sure that furniture such as cribs, change tables,
or dressers are not placed by a window.
Bring things to mouth
Poisonings
Your child can be poisoned by common items found in the
home such as prescriptions, over the counter medicines,
vitamins, plants, alcohol, makeup and cleaning supplies.
Always keep these items locked up and out of reach.
Post the Ontario Poison Center number by the phone: 1-
800-268-9017. Call right away if you think your child has
been poisoned.
0-2 months
What?
So What?
Now What?
What can my child do now?
So what can hurt
my child?
Now What can I do to keep my child safe?
Can hold head up and begins to push up
when lying on tummy
Makes smoother movements with arms
and legs (e.g., kicks legs)
Falls
Before your baby can roll over they can wiggle and move
their arms and legs. Always keep a hand on your baby
when they are on a high surface such as a change table,
bed, or couch to keep them from falling off.
Infant car seats are unsteady and can easily fall from high
places. Place them on the floor (safest place) and not on
the counter, table or other high places.
Makes smoother movements with arms
and legs (e.g., kicks legs)
Burns/Scalds
A hot drink can badly burn your baby’s skin. Avoid holding
your baby and a hot drink at the same time, or put the hot
drink in a travel mug with a tight lid.

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3-4 months
What?
So What?
Now What?
What can my child do now?
So what can hurt
my child?
Now What can I do to keep my child safe?
Pushes down on legs when feet are on a
hard surface
May be able to roll over from tummy to
back
When lying on stomach, pushes up to
elbows
Falls
Before your baby can roll over they can wiggle and move
their arms and legs. Always keep a hand on your baby
when they are on a high surface such as a change table,
bed, or couch to keep them from falling off.
Car seats are unsteady and can easily fall from high places.
Place them on the floor (safest place) and not on the
counter, table or other high places.
If using a baby sling or front carrier, make sure it fits your
baby properly. It should support their head and shoulders
and have small leg openings, so they can’t slip out. If you
bend over, hold your baby against you with one hand so
they won’t fall.
Can hold a toy and shake it and swing at
dangling toys
Burns/Scalds
A hot drink can badly burn your baby’s skin. Avoid holding
your baby and a hot drink at the same time, or put the hot
drink in a travel mug with a tight lid.
5-6 months
What?
So What?
Now What?
What can my child do now?
So what can hurt
my child?
Now What can I do to keep my child safe?
Rolls over in both directions (front to
back, back to front)
Begins to sit without support
When standing, supports weight on legs
and might bounce
Rocks back and forth, sometimes
crawling backward before moving
forward
Falls
Buckle the straps tightly and lock the tray in every time
you use a high chair or a kitchen booster seat so your child
doesn’t fall out
Lower the crib mattress before your baby can push up on
their hands and knees to prevent them from falling out of
the crib
Brings things to mouth
Shows curiosity about things and tries to
get things that are out of reach
Poisonings
Clean up anything that could harm your baby, such as
ashtrays, left over alcoholic drinks, and poisonous plants
right away.
Everyday things like batteries, magnets or makeup can
poison your baby. Keep these items out of reach.

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7-9 months
What?
So What?
Now What?
What can my child do now?
So what can hurt
my child?
Now What can I do to keep my child safe?
Crawls
Pulls up to stand
Stands, holding on
Can get into sitting position
Sits without support
Falls
Once your baby starts to roll, crawl or walk they can easily
get to the stairs. Install wall-mounted gates at the top of
the stairs and pressure-mounted gates at the bottom of
the stairs so they don’t fall down.
Before your baby can pull to stand in their crib, lower the
crib mattress to the lowest position and keep the rails up
to prevent them from falling out of the crib.
Window screens will not keep your baby from falling
through the window. Put quick release guards on all
windows above the first floor and keep balcony doors
closed and locked.
Puts things in mouth
Looks for things they see you hide
Pulls up to stand
Poisonings
Visitors may have prescription medication, tobacco or
other items in their purses or bags that could poison your
child. Make sure to place them off the floor and out of
your child’s reach.
When your baby can pull to a stand they can reach things
on tables and shelves. Clean up anything that could harm
your baby, such as ashtrays, left over alcoholic drinks, and
poisonous plants right away.
10-12 months
What?
So What?
Now What?
What can my child do now?
So what can hurt
my child?
Now What can I do to keep my child safe?
May take a few steps without holding on
May stand alone
Falls
When your baby starts walking they can quickly get to the
stairs. Install sturdy wall-mounted gates at the top of the
stairs and pressure-mounted gates at the bottom of the
stairs so they don’t fall.
Pulls up to stand
Walks holding on to furniture (“cruising”)
Burns/Scalds
Let your child play on the floor or secured in their
highchair while you prepare meals. Playing with pots,
spoons, and plastic bowls lets them safely copy what you
do, while keeping them away from hot items.
Once your baby can stand they can reach hot things on
the stove. Make sure to turn pot handles in and use the
back burners as much as possible.
Pulls up to stand
Walks holding on to furniture (“cruising”)
Poisonings
Throw out any poisonous plant in your house or garden.
Use this website to figure out if your plants are poisonous:
www.ontariopoisoncentre.com/ontariopoisoncentre/cust
om/plantSafety08.pdf

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13-15 months
What?
So What?
Now What?
What can my child do now?
So what can hurt
my child?
Now What can I do to keep my child safe?
May walk alone
May walk up steps and run
May start to climb
Falls
Before your child starts to climb, keep drawers closed and
locked with latches. This way they cannot use the drawers
to climb onto counter tops or furniture.
Place chairs and stools away from counters or other high
places where your child can climb. This way your child
won’t be able to reach dangerous things on the counter or
fall and hurt themselves.
Pulls toys while walking
Burns/Scalds
Your child can be burned if they touch a hot appliance.
Keep cords for electrical appliances such as irons, kettles,
and hair straighteners out of reach.
Explores things in different ways, like
shaking, banging, throwing
Poisonings
There is no such thing as a child proof container. When
determined, children can always find a way to get at what
is inside. Keep medicine and vitamins locked up and/or
out of reach.
16-18 months
What?
So What?
Now What?
What can my child do now?
So what can hurt
my child?
Now What can I do to keep my child safe?
May walk alone
May walk up steps and run
May start to climb
Falls
When your child starts to climb they can pull furniture
such as TV’s and bookshelves down on top of themselves.
Attach TVs and furniture to the wall so they can’t tip onto
your child.
If your home has a balcony, make sure not to leave any
furniture on it that your child could use to climb over the
railing and keep the door closed and locked at all times.
Move your child to a toddler bed or mattress on the floor
once they can climb out of their crib or become taller than
90 cm (35 inches). Children under the age of 6 years
should not sleep or play on the top of a bunk bed.
Walks alone (now more things are in
reach of the child)
Burns/Scalds
Always keep lighters and matches locked up and out of
reach of children. Teach your child that these are not toys.
Drinks from a cup
Eats from a spoon
Walks alone (now more things are in
reach of the child)
Poisonings
Children can be poisoned by both prescription and over
the counter medications, even vitamins. Always keep all
medicines and vitamins locked up and out of reach.

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19-24 months
What?
So What?
Now What?
What can my child do now?
So what can hurt
my child?
Now What can I do to keep my child safe?
Begins to run/jump
Climbs onto and down from furniture
without help
Walks up and down stairs holding on
Falls
Once your child can open or climb over the stair gate it no
longer keeps your child away from the stairs. Take down
your baby gates when your child is approximately two
years old and teach them how to go up and down the
stairs safely using the handrail.
Jumping on the bed or couch is dangerous if your child
falls off. Once your child starts jumping create fun floor
games together and teach them to jump on the floor.
When playing outside with your child make sure all
personal play sets are on a soft surface such as pea gravel,
sand or wood chips. It is dangerous for children under 5 to
play on anything higher than 5 feet off the ground.
Climbs onto and down furniture
without help
Stands on tiptoe
Burns/Scalds/
Poisonings
Now that your child can climb and stand on their tip toes,
they can touch things that used to be out of reach.
Remove anything that could burn, choke or poison your
child or lock them up.
25-36 months
What?
So What?
Now What?
What can my child do now?
So what can hurt
my child?
Now What can I do to keep my child safe?
Climbs well
Runs easily
Hops and skips
Pedals a tricycle (3-wheel bike)
Walks up and down stairs, one foot on
each step
Copies adults and friends
Falls
Teach your child to wear a helmet to keep their head safe.
Put a fitted helmet on your child every time they ride a
tricycle, go sledding or skate.
Your child loves to copy what you do. Show them how to
go up and down the stairs safely using the handrail.
Before your child starts to climb, keep drawers closed and
locked with latches. This way they cannot use the drawers
to climb onto counter tops or furniture.
Screws and unscrews jar lids or turns
door handles
Poisonings
Calling medicine and vitamins candy can make your child
think they can eat them anytime. Instead, use the right
name for all medicines and vitamins.

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Appendix C: Additional Resources in Preparation for Questions
Regulated and Unregulated Children’s Products
Regulated Products for Children
Regulated products are ones that must meet the legislative requirements of the Canada
Consumer Product Safety Act before they can be sold or distributed in Canada. These
requirements are set out by the government which regulates the manufacturing of the
following:
Baby gates
Cribs, cradles & basinets
Hockey helmets and face protectors
Playpens (Note: These are regulated for play not sleep)
Strollers
Unregulated Products for Children
Unregulated products are any products in Canada that are not governed by safety rules or
regulations before they are advertised and sold for use in Canada. Therefore, discretion should
be used when parents/caregivers are considering these products:
Activity/play centres
Cupboard locks
Door knob covers
Fresh food feeders
Highchairs
Jolly jumpers
Prohibited Products for Children
Prohibited products are products that are not allowed to be sold, advertised or imported into
Canada.
Baby walkers
Infant self-feeding devices
Jequirity beans (red or orange bead-like objects with black ends –from tropical areas)
Yo-yos with long cords
Balloon blowing kits
Relight candles
Lawn darts with elongated tips
For more information, refer to the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act.
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/legislation/acts-lois/ccpsa-lcspc/index-eng.php

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Second-Hand Products
If parents/caregivers receive a product second-hand, it is recommended that they use it with
caution. An assessment of the product, such as the year, number of owners, appearance, and
sturdiness should be completed prior to use. Any product that has passed its expiration date or
does not meet current safety standards is unsafe and should not be used.
Health Canada recommends that parents/caregivers do not purchase used products for fear of
the product being unsafe or over-used. However, this is seen as a cost-savings measure for
parents/caregivers and is common practice. Therefore, recommend that parents/caregivers
use their own judgment when considering products that are second-hand and refer them to the
resources below if they require additional information on specific products.
Expiry Dates
Please be aware that some regulated products have expiry dates. These expiry dates serve a
purpose and can be identified on the product sticker.
Many are unaware that products, especially car seats, expire. This is due to wear and tear of
the product which can make it unsafe for use. Car seats are made of plastic, which over time
degrades and warps due to the changing conditions it is exposed to. Car seat expiration dates
are based on the date of manufacture and not the date of purchase or first use.
Checking Recalls
Health Canada also helps protect the public by posting updates on potential or current safety
hazards with any consumer product. It is important to advise parents/caregivers to check for
recalls, advisories and safety alerts on products in order to keep their child and everyone free
from injury.
If a recall does occur, let parents/caregivers know that they need to check online to verify they
have the product in question (e.g., model, year, etc.) and should then proceed to follow what is
outlined in the manufacturer’s instructions. Advise parents/caregivers not to give the product
to someone else because if it is unsafe for them, it is unsafe for everyone to use. Make sure to
also advise them to dispose of the product in a safe manner.
To stay informed, recommend to parents that they can register for updates about product
recalls through the Health Canada website.
For more information, refer to Health Canada:
Safety of Second Hand Products http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-
spc/pubs/cons/info_secondhand-produits-eng.php
Recalls and Alerts http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index-eng.php