Think before you pour. We all think hot drinks safety is common sense, but….

Keep hot drinks out of reach of children, sounds simple doesn’t it? However, over 50% of children admitted to hospital have been burnt by hot drinks, that’s over 288 children a month requiring admission to an NHS Burns Service following injury with hot liquids. This doesn’t include the thousands treated and discharged from A&E departments, these are the children so badly burnt that they had to be admitted to a Specialist Burns Unit. Being burnt as a child is a life changing experience that can see the child having to undergo numerous operations as they grow.

Don’t leave hot drinks on low tables or where children can reach up and knock them over. Remember a hot drink can still scald a small child up to 15 minutes after being poured.

Here are some helpful resources for you, your child and any carers of your children to increase awareness of hot drinks safety around children:

1. The age group most at risk is 0-5 year olds, if your child attends nursery, playschool or activity groups please make them aware of the Under 5’s resource pack This resource has helped many nurseries and children’s centres to highlight hot drink dangers to parents and carers and to introduce a Hot Drinks Policy.

2. Lizzie’s Accident is an excellent free book to read to your children to make them aware of the dangers of hot drinks. You can access Lizzie’s Accident here. Unfortunately, this can’t be accessed on mobiles or tablets.

3. Our Learning Zone gives you free and easy access to a wide variety of online resources, e-learning programmes, professional development tools and information to prevent burns and scalds happening to children, with a particular emphasis on hot drinks safety.

4. Take a look at the First Aid advice on our website, if a burn does occur the first few seconds are vital. COOL, CALL, COVER!

Cool the burn with running cold tap water for 20 minutes and remove all clothing and jewellery (unless it is melted or firmly stuck to the wound).

Call for help: 999, 111 or local GP for advice.

Cover with cling film or a sterile, non-fluffy dressing or cloth. Make sure the patient is kept warm.

For more information about the Under 5’s Resource pack and to order an actual copy of Lizzie’s Accident please click here.