Safety

Whare Kahikā (ancestral home) is an app giving whānau (familes) knowledge to create a safe physical home environment for tamariki (children).

Keep your child safe in the car. Make sure your baby is in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least 2 years old. Keep your child in a booster seat until they are 148cm tall - for most tamariki (children), that's somewhere between 10 and 12 years of age.

Pēpi (babies) and tamariki (children) can choke on food at any age but those under 5 are at higher risk, and especially tamariki and pēpi under 3. Watch a video about ways to reduce the choking risk.

Tamariki (children) have thinner skin that burns faster, deeper and at lower temperatures compared to adults. Most childhood burn injuries happen in the home, especially in the kitchen. You can prevent burns by taking some simple steps at home.

Keep your child safe near water. Never leave tamariki (children), especially those under 5, unsupervised near any water, including baths, buckets and water troughs.

Tamariki (children) injured in driveway accidents often suffer severe and sometimes fatal injuries. Always check for tamariki before driving off, supervise them around vehicles and separate play areas from driveways.