Child Matters

03/06/2026

Do you know the 50p rule? If your child has a burn bigger than this you need to get medical advice right away.

Babies, toddlers and preschoolers have delicate skin that burns easily. Knowing what to do if your child suffers a burn can mean the difference between lifelong scarring and a child who heals well.

💦Remember COOL, CALL, COVER

1. COOL the burn for at least 20 minutes with cool (not cold) running water
2. CALL for help for any burn bigger than a 50p coin.
3. COVER the burn loosely with cling film or a clean, non-fluffy dressing or cloth.

Learn more: https://capt.org.uk/resources/safe-from-burns-fact-sheet/

03/06/2026

It’s great to see breast and bras featuring in new CPR defib guidance written material after the Resuscitation Council UK updated their guidance this year giving it importance.

Recent campaign data used by ambulance services highlights that women are around 27% less likely to receive bystander CPR than men, with hesitation often linked to uncertainty about touching or exposing the chest, removing clothing, or placing defibrillator pads correctly.

As instructors, we have an opportunity to tackle this directly and confidently in training. Hence my manikins with breasts and bras!

In a cardiac arrest, lifesaving acting comes first. CPR technique does not change because a person has breasts, and AED pads must be placed directly onto bare skin in the correct position shown in the image.

Latest Resuscitation Council UK guidance advises that if someone is wearing a bra, it may be possible to adjust or lift the fabric so the pads can be placed correctly on bare skin without delay; however, if the bra interferes with correct pad positioning, it should be removed or cut away.

In Child Matters training sessions we have and always will advise to cut the bra away to avoid any confusion. (Chest compression can be given with bra left on).

03/06/2026

With so much in the press around Cold Water Shock following the tragic number of drownings this spring, lets hear from expert Suzie Wheway of the Outdoor Swimming Society. She is well aware of the dangers of , what it is and how to prevent it. Read on to find out....

Drowning Prevention Week always brings attention to the unecessary deaths caused by drowning. One of the dangers of swimming in open water, and something childr

02/06/2026

It's Child Safety Week this week and one of the biggest dangers for children are magnetic toys.

In this video Mum Sam shares what happened when her two-year-old daughter Rebecca McCarthy was left fighting for her life after she swallowed 14 brightly coloured tiny magnetic balls in 2021.

The toddler endured over 2 hours of surgery, where doctors had to temporarily remove her intestines to reach the balls that had attracted together and buried deep into her tissue.

Rebecca had swallowed the magnets, thinking they were sweeties, without anyone suspecting. According to Mum, Sam McCarthy, the first sign Rebecca was unwell was when she vomited one lunchtime.

At first, doctors told Mum Sam and Dad Steve they thought Rebecca had a gastric bug. Rebecca’s symptoms came and went. So it wasn’t until two agonising nights later, and a second visit to A&E, that doctors made the shocking discovery on the x-ray of 14 magnetic balls inside Rebecca’s stomach.

Here’s how to keep them safe:

1. Only buy magnets from reputable retailers or brand names you know.

2. Beware, if buying magnets from overseas sellers on online marketplaces – there’s no way of knowing if they’re safe.

3. Avoid small, loose magnets if you have small children.

4. Teach older children to never put magnets in their mouths.

5. If you think your child may have swallowed magnets, go straight to A&E or call an ambulance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfFGD7P_hv4

Samantha speaks about the impact unsafe products has had on herself...

01/06/2026

This week we’re supporting the Child Accident Prevention Trust from 1st - 7th June to help children lead active, healthy lives, safe from serious injury. Discover top tips to keep children safe:

Our Child Safety Parents' Pack contains bite-sized facts and safety tips on the main accident risks to children. Allowing you to make simple changes that can fit into busy routines. Last update: 07/04/2026

01/06/2026

**Spaces remaining on our June & July paediatric first aid courses in Marlow and Yarnton**

To book 26 June or 4 July in Yarnton or 1 July in Marlow, plus other dates in 2026, visit our booking calendar:

http://child-matters.co.uk/events

Or contact me, Claire Street, at [email protected] or call 07788 7206122.

Each date runs both the 12hr blended Paediatric First Aid (6hrs online/6hrs classroom) qualification for childcare professionals and the 6hr Emergency Paediatric First Aid for childminders and nannies.

- 9am - 4pm
- 3 year certificate
- Exceed EYFS requirements & enables you to register for Ofsted
- CPD accredited course.

29/05/2026

Playing outside is great fun but there are some things to watch out for to keep children safe from serious injury.

So, here are 10 top tips to make your garden a safer place to play.

1. Lock away tools in a shed or other secure area. Never leave electrical equipment plugged in when not in use.
2. Keep chemicals such as w**d killer and fertiliser out of reach of young children, and always keep them in their original containers.
3. You may have antifreeze and screen-wash lurking in the garden shed too. Both are highly poisonous to children so they should be kept well out of reach at all times.
4. Buy products that contain a bittering agent such as Bitrex, that deter accidental swallowing of household chemicals.
It’s scary to think about but babies and toddlers can drown in as little as 5cm (2”) of water. So supervision around ponds, pools and hot tubs is essential.
5. If you have a paddling pool, empty it after use and storing it so it can’t refill with rainwater. Larger pools that cannot be emptied after each use should be fenced off to prevent children gaining access unsupervised.
6. Hot tubs need to have a solid lockable cover that children can only open with adult help.
7. Fill in, cover or fence off ponds while your children are little. Think about your neighbours’ gardens too.
8. A BBQ and the ground underneath it can stay hot enough to cause a serious burn for a long time after it’s been used. So, stay alert and keep children well away from the cooking area until it’s completely cooled.
9. Most trampoline accidents happen when there are two or more bouncers at the same time. So, let children take it in turns and avoid adults and children jumping together.
10. A small number of garden plants are toxic so teach children never to eat plants or berries they have picked in the garden or out and about in the countryside, without checking with an adult first.

28/05/2026

Such tragic loss for so many parents and families of these teenagers. Please lets share the dangers of cold water shock. It is real, even on a hot day. Let's educate our children on what to do if they get into difficulty in open water. Better still, warn them to stay away from open water.

There are plenty of places to swim safely with lifeguarded beaches, supervised lakes that have safety rules in place meaning that every swimmer must wear a bright swim hat, use an inflatable tow float, children must swim with an adult and there are life guards on duty.

Child Matters have recently taught lifesaving skills to Westhorpe Lake staff to ensure they can help in an emergency.

What to do if you get into difficulties in cold water.

1. Fight your instinct to thrash around
2. Lean back extend arms and legs
3. Gently move them to help you float
4. Float until you can control your breathing

A 14-year-old boy has died after getting into difficulty in the River Thames in Oxford.

28/05/2026

With so much tragic news this week reported on teen drownings, it seems only right to post a reminder about the dangers of swimming in rivers, lakes and any open water and what to do if a child drowns.

You never know what debris, reeds or strong currents lie beneath the water. And then there is always the danger of cold water shock. Even if the day is sunny and warm, even if you are a great swimmer, the water temperature can still be cold enough to cause the body to go into shock.

What to do if you see someone drowning:-
1. If you see someone in trouble, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.
2. If there is something that floats to hand, throw it to them but don’t enter the water yourself.
3. As soon as the casualty has been rescued from the water, check if they’re breathing.
4. If the person is unresponsive and not breathing, give them five initial rescue breaths before starting CPR.
5. Once you’ve done this, start CPR: 15 chest compressions, then two rescue breaths. Keep giving CPR until help arrives, the casualty regains responsiveness, or you’re too exhausted to keep going.
Why 15 compressions instead of 30? Because in a drowning incident the most likely problem is water in the airways so giving breaths is vital.
6. If they start breathing again at any time, treat them for hypothermia by covering them with warm clothes and blankets. If they recover completely, replace their wet clothes with dry ones.
7. Keep checking breathing, pulse and level of response until help arrives.
8. Even if they do recover quickly, get them checked out by a medical professional as they can suffer from secondary drowning.

21/05/2026

Important update from the Benedict Blythe Foundation on what allergy/anaphylaxis training schools need to have and what’s included.

The draft statutory guidance makes clear this is not something that can simply be “covered off” in a short session on adrenaline administration.

Effective allergy safety training is much broader than recognising the signs of anaphylaxis. Providers will need to ensure staff understand prevention as well as response.

That means training will need to cover things like:
• how allergens and exposure risks can arise across the school environment
• practical risk reduction and safer management approaches
• recognising the signs and symptoms of allergic reactions and anaphylaxis
• understanding how reactions can escalate
• emergency procedures and rapid response
• accessing and administering prescribed and “spare” adrenaline devices
• how Individual Healthcare Plans work in practice
• how Individual Healthcare Plans interact with Allergy Action Plans and other personalised care plans
• what adjustments and support individual children may require
• how to include children safely in everyday school life, trips and activities
• ensuring all staff understand their role — including support staff, supply staff, breakfast clubs and after-school providers

The guidance says staff should be able to:
“recognise symptoms… appreciate their effects and know what preventative and emergency measures to take.”

And it is explicit that:
“A first-aid certificate does not constitute appropriate training.”

Some children will experience their first severe allergic reaction in school. Others may deteriorate within minutes. Effective allergy safety therefore relies on awareness, prevention, planning, early recognition and rapid response across the whole school environment — not solely what happens once a child is already critically unwell.

It’s also clear this is for all school staff, not just those in classrooms, and that it should be annual/ not a one off.

Get in touch today to book anaphylaxis training for your staff at your setting. [email protected]