Safety

We help parents keep their kids safe. We work with community partners to prevent injuries and promote healthy, safe, living. In this section you'll find:

• Car seat safety
• Air quality in schools
• Home safety, including product recalls
• What to do if your child is using self-harm to cope with stress
• A list of injury prevention resources for parents 

Home safety

Most injuries to young children occur in the home.We encourage parents to create a safe home environment for their children as they learn and grow.To learn about how to create a child-friendly home, visit Safe Kids Canada and download Poison-proof your home: information for families (PDF, 8 pages).

Product recalls

Children’s products can be recalled if they pose a risk to a child’s health and safety.  Visit Health Canada’s consumer product recalls page to find out which products have been recalled.

Self-harm

Sometimes, people hurt themselves to cope with pain and stress. Of those who self-harm, 90% start as teenagers.

Self-harm can be cutting or burning the skin, bruising the body, or scratching the skin until it bleeds. This can be a dangerous way to cope with pain and stress. There are healthier ways to cope.

To learn more, visit Youth and Self Injury from the Canadian Mental Health Association.

We also recommend the book See My Pain! By Susan Bowman and Kaye Randall.

Suicide

Young people, like adults, often experience stress and challenges in their life. Every person has a different way of coping.  Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people after car accidents. 

If you feel that your child may be at risk for suicide, seek professional help immediately. Contact the Wellington/Dufferin Distress Centre at 821-3760 (toll-free at 1-888-821-3760), a counselling centre, or your local hospital.

Learn to recognize the warning signs of suicide.