Children, especially those prone to wandering, can present unique challenges in maintaining a safe environment.

So, what if you have a regular absconder young child with only one fire exit door? Can you temporarily obstruct the fire exit door to keep children safe?

Fire exits are crucial for ensuring swift evacuation during emergencies. Obstructing a fire exit, even temporarily, poses significant risks.

Therefore, instead of obstructing the fire exit, consider these safer alternatives:

🟠 Enhance supervision of the absconder child by assigning additional staff

🟠 Install childproof gates or barriers that do not obstruct the fire exit but prevent the child from reaching it unsupervised

🟠 Work with the child to understand their behaviour and implement strategies to reduce their tendency to abscond

🟠 Use door alarms that sound when the fire exit is opened, alerting staff immediately

🟠 Conduct fire drills regularly to ensure all children, including the absconder, understand the importance of staying safe during an evacuation