The authority funds the initiative and has operated the pilot scheme since 2017. Housing officers work with children centres throughout the district whose staff have been trained to carry out assessments in the homes of the families that they are working with. Referrals can also be made to the scheme by the council’s private-sector housing team or a social worker. If suitable, a risk assessment and eligibility check are carried out.

The scheme targets vulnerable low-income families with young children to offer them free home safety equipment. This could include stairgates, cupboard locks, window restrictors, blind cord cleats, hair straightener pouches, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and bath mats.

Equipment is fitted free of charge by the council in both social housing and private sector properties, subject to a home assessment.

Portfolio holder for Housing, Coun Anne Callaghan, hailed the team’s success and said: “I am thrilled to see this pilot scheme, the first of its kind in Nottinghamshire, going from strength to strength with our recent 300th referral.

“Unintentional injuries in and around the home are a significant cause of death among children under five years in England. Nationally, the rate of hospital accident and emergency admissions caused by injuries in children (0-4 years) per 10,000 is 108.7. (2021)

“One unintentional injury is one too many, so we have taken the initiative to tackle the root cause of the issue and work with our residents to get the equipment installed in the home setting, where young children will spend most of their time.

“By installing the safety equipment, we hope to reduce the number of incidents and ensure children in Mansfield are safe within their home environment.”

The National Child and Maternal Health Intelligence Network recommend that child safety interventions prioritise reducing five causes of unintentional injuries among the under-fives. These include choking, suffocation and strangulation, falls, poisoning, burns, scalds, and drowning.