{"id":499,"date":"2021-01-25T13:59:44","date_gmt":"2021-01-25T13:59:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.englishblinds.co.uk\/blog\/?p=499"},"modified":"2022-05-13T12:40:04","modified_gmt":"2022-05-13T11:40:04","slug":"how-to-choose-and-fit-child-safe-window-blinds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.englishblinds.co.uk\/blog\/safety\/how-to-choose-and-fit-child-safe-window-blinds\/","title":{"rendered":"How to choose and fit child-safe window blinds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Choosing<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Everyone\u2019s children have their own unique gifts and talents, but one skill that the majority of kids all share is the ability to get themselves into hot water in even the most innocuous of places, which is a large part of what makes being a parent so completely exhausting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This blog post is designed to provide some simple safety information for parents who are considering buying new window blinds<\/a>, covering the most important things you need to know about how to choose and fit new window blinds safely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there are a great many different types of window blinds on the market as well as a lot of different facets of child safety to consider; and so this post will serve as a quick-and-dirty introductory primer to get you started in knowing what to look for when it comes to child-safe blinds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If, on the other hand, you\u2019ve already got window blinds and want to make sure they\u2019re child-safe or if there\u2019s anything you need to do to bring them up to the latest iteration of the British Standard, please check out our accompanying blog post, \u201cHow to tell if older window blinds are child safe (and why they might not be)<\/a>\u201d as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In future blog posts we\u2019ll look individually at some of the most common and popular types of window blinds, and examine how well suited they are for use in a child\u2019s bedroom, how to make them child-safe, and cover some other specific areas of child safety and window blinds in more detail too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll even look at things from the other end of the telescope, which might be far more useful for some of you; covering how to protect your smart new blinds from your finger painting child, and other common issues as well!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choosing new window blinds that are child-safe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Child<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re in the market for new blinds and you\u2019re in the UK, the good news is that finding child-safe window blinds is not too much of a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All you need to do is ensure that the blinds you choose are compliant with the British Standard\/European Child Safety Directive EN13120, and that they\u2019re fitted according to the manufacturer\u2019s instructions, including the integration or fitting of any relevant safety features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you buy blinds from a reputable retailer<\/a> here in the UK, meeting the relevant safety standard should be a given; but do just double-check before you order. Child safety information for window blinds and details on their compliance with the relevant standards should be easy to check on the product page in question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re ordering blinds from abroad (and beware that this isn\u2019t always obvious, and manufacturers in other countries often go to great lengths to appear as if they\u2019re based here in the UK) then you need to be a little more cautious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goods offered for sale to the UK market should theoretically meet all of our relevant safety standards; but whether or not this is the case, and how well (or otherwise) a manufacturer outside of the UK (and particularly outside of the EU) adheres to this and the level of comeback you\u2019d have if something went wrong can be highly variable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fitting new window blinds to be child-safe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Child<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Buying new window blinds that are child-safe by design is vital to protect your kids from themselves, but this is only half the story. How you fit them, and the wider context of the things around them are the other half, and this is down to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Putting up your own window blinds isn\u2019t the dark art that many blinds manufacturers would have you believe; and with a few basic tools, some patience, and the ability to follow simple instructions, literally anyone can fit their own window blinds; even if this is your first punt into the world of DIY.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fitting blinds<\/a> in a child-safe way is built into the instructions of safety-compliant blinds, but just in case (and when it comes to accounting for external factors too) tack this list onto the bottom of your directions and ensure that how you fit your blinds ticks all of the boxes when you\u2019re done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n