Child safety and blinds

Why cords and chains matter at home

Looped cords and chains are the main safety concern with window blinds. A young child can get a loop around their neck very quickly, and it can happen in a moment when no one is looking. That is why the advice from safety bodies is consistent: keep cords and chains short, keep them out of reach, and where possible choose a blind that has no loop to reach in the first place.

This page is friendly, general guidance. Safety depends on the blind, how it is fitted and how the room is arranged, so we avoid calling any blind "child safe" on its own. Here is what we would want you to think about in a home with babies or toddlers.

A good place to start is the furniture

Children climb. A cot, bed, sofa, chest of drawers or toy box under a window gives them a step up to the cord. Wherever you can, move cots, beds, highchairs and low furniture away from windows with blinds, and keep sofas and shelves clear of the cords too.

• Keep cots and beds well away from windows with corded blinds.
• Keep cords away from where a child can climb or reach, including the sill.
• Tuck spare cord up out of the way rather than tying it in a loop or leaving it hanging down.

Choosing a blind with no loop to reach

Some control types remove or reduce the problem. Which ones are available depends on the blind type and the range, so ask us what applies to the window you have.

• Cordless blinds. Many blinds can be raised and lowered by hand with no cord or chain. Not every type or size can be cordless, so we will let you know when it is not an option.
• Motorised blinds. A remote or wall control replaces the cord and chain. See our page on motorised blinds for what to ask about power and controls.
• Wand controls. On some vertical and venetian blinds a rigid wand turns or tilts the slats, so there is no hanging loop for that function.
• Fixed or tidied cords. Where a corded blind is the right choice for the window, the cord or chain can be kept short and held in a fixed position, so there is no loose loop hanging down.

If the blind is for a nursery or child's room, our guide to child-safe blind choices and our page on blinds for children's rooms go into more detail on the types themselves.

Getting the most from tension devices and cleats

Safety devices work best when they are installed and used properly. A tension device holds a chain or cord loop taut and fixed to the wall or frame, so it cannot be pulled out into a loop. A cleat lets you wind spare cord up and out of reach. Both should be screwed or fixed firmly into something solid, at the right height for the blind and the room, and used every time the blind is moved.

If a device has come loose, been removed or does not seem to hold, pause using the blind until it is sorted.

Check every blind, regularly

It is worth a quick look at every blind in the house now and then, not only the ones in children's rooms. Check that:

1. No cord or chain forms a loop that a child could reach.
2. Tension devices and cleats are still firmly fixed.
3. Cords are not frayed, tangled or tied together.
4. Furniture has not crept back under the window.

The UK standard

In the UK, BS EN 13120 is the standard that covers internal blinds, including safety requirements around cords and chains. It is a standard for products, not a certificate that Boro holds. Safe use still comes down to the product, the fitting and how the room is used.

What we do at the measure

When we visit for your free home measure, tell us if there are babies, toddlers or visiting children in the home. We will talk through the control options that could suit each window, whether cordless or motorised is possible, and where a corded blind is still the sensible choice. We can fit any safety devices that suit the blind you choose, and we will show you how they are meant to be used.

If you would rather talk first, call us on 01642 424250 or use the contact page. Ready to go ahead? Book a free measure.