A child-safe blind is one a child cannot get a loop of cord or chain around their neck: in the UK that means either a blind with no cord at all, or a corded blind fitted to BS EN 13120, with the cord kept short and anchored by a safety device. Every blind we fit complies with that standard and the industry’s Make It Safe scheme, and in nurseries and children’s bedrooms we go further and recommend cordless, Perfect Fit, INTU or motorised blinds, which have nothing to pull in the first place.
What the standard actually requires
- Corded blinds must be fitted with a safety device that keeps any cord or chain loop taut and out of reach, such as a chain tidy screwed to the wall or a breakaway connector that separates under load.
- Cords and chains must be kept short, with the loop sitting at least 1.5 metres above the floor when a child could be present.
- Blinds sold for a home where children live or visit must meet the standard whether they are made to measure or ready made.
- The fitter is responsible for installing the safety device, which is why we fit every one ourselves and never leave a loose loop.
Blinds with no cord to worry about
| Blind | How it operates | Where it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Cordless roller | A spring: pull the bottom bar down, nudge it up | Nurseries and children’s bedrooms, in blackout fabrics |
| Perfect Fit and INTU | Runs on tension cords inside a frame; nothing hangs | uPVC windows and doors, conservatories, small windows |
| Wand-operated vertical | A rigid wand tilts and draws the louvres | Patio doors and large windows |
| Motorised | Remote, app or voice; battery motors need no wiring | High windows, bifolds, any room |
| Shutters | Panels and louvres only | Front rooms and bays |
Fitting around cots and beds
If the cot or bed sits under or beside the window, we specify a cordless or motorised control as a matter of course and we will say so on the quote. Where a chain blind is chosen anyway, the chain tidy goes on the far side of the window from the bed, the chain is cut to the shortest length that still works, and we show you the breakaway connector before we leave. Moving the bed off the window wall is the simplest safety change of all.
Blackout and safety together
Most children’s prints come on a blackout base cloth, so a cordless or Perfect Fit blackout roller gives the dark room that gets them to sleep on light summer evenings with nothing to pull. Fit outside the recess, or in a Perfect Fit frame, to cut the light at the edges.
See the children’s room options with prints, blackout and cordless controls.
Questions people ask
01Are all your blinds child-safe?
02What is the safest blind for a nursery?
03Can an existing corded blind be made safe?
04Is a wand-operated vertical blind child-safe?
Facts checked 4 November 2026. Prices and lead times are those published on this site at that date; the quote you receive on your visit is the one that counts.
