How to pick a safe Halloween costume for your child

The spookiest night of the year is approaching but how do you know that your child’s Halloween costume is safe?

With fireworks, candles, and sparklers comes the potential for serious accidents. Costumes have been under the spotlight in recent years after causing serious burns to children when they accidentally caught alight.

Strictly Come Dancing’s Claudia Winkleman was devastated when her eight-year-old daughter’s witch costume “went up like a birthday candle” after it was set alight by a flame in 2014.

The youngster suffered serious burns and Claudia went on to issue warnings over the safety of Halloween outfits.

What safety standards are in place for Halloween costumes?

In 2017, UK fire chiefs warned there was still the potential for disaster because there had been no improvements to safety legislation over the outfits.

Fancy dress costumes are still classified as toys, which means they are not subject to the same stringent rules as children’s clothing.

In 2015, the government promised a fire prevention strategy involving spot checks by trading standards officers as thousands more children’s outfits and accessories, some aimed at babies and toddlers, went on sale online and in supermarkets in time for Halloween.

Although no new safety laws have been passed, retailers are making efforts to reassure parents the outfit they are buying is as safe as possible.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has introduced a voluntary code of practice to set safer standards than those required by law.

The BRC testing was developed around how fast the fabric burns.

But parents still need to remember that, while costumes that have passed the more rigorous tests will have a slower burn rate, all clothing is still flammable.

How to pick a safe Halloween costume for your child

Halloween is a fun time so to make sure you can make the most of this happy holiday here are some tips for picking out a safe Halloween costume for your little one.

Check for the CE safety marking 

Halloween costumes are classed as toys rather than clothing so check it has the CE or UKCA safety marking on the label.

Look for a flame-resistant label 

Costumes that have been tested for safety should have a flame resistant label.

It’s also sensible to check the packaging and labels contain the manufacturer’s name or registered trademark and that there are safety instructions.

Check for costume testing standards 

The team at RoSPA has worked with the British Retail Consortium to develop a testing standard for the flammability of children’s dress-up costumes. 

Costumes that comply with this standard are allowed to print the following on their labelling: “This garment has undergone additional safety testing for flammability”

You can read more about Halloween costume law and the standards manufacturers are asked to follow on the RoSPA website. 

Purchase from a reputable shop

There are tons of sellers online and elsewhere selling costumes at Halloween.

Stick to reputable sellers and shops that will be following the highest standards when it comes to costume safety.

Check the materials and structure of the costume

Anything that trails on the costume can potentially drag by candles on the floor or into a fire so try to avoid anything with extra fabric that trails on the floor.

Buy costumes made of one type of material rather than layers and although polyester and nylon are flame-resistant materials they can still melt near fire which can cause horrendous burns to the skin.

Use face paints instead of a mask

Look for kid-safe face paint and use this instead of masks, which could be an additional hazard if costumes do catch fire.

Check Trading Standards

The Trading Standards website will list product recalls so double check this for any warnings about particular costumes.

Be aware of homemade costumes 

Making your own Halloween outfits is great fun! However when sourcing material and items for this you won’t necessarily be following the flammability standards that many manufacturers follow. 

For this reason its best to be extra aware and cautious when it comes to these types of costumes and follow the next few tips about staying safe at Halloween. 

Tips for staying safe at Halloween 

Swap candles for lights 

You can buy battery operated candle lights that look just as good as the real thing. Once you’ve tucked them inside a tealight holder or a pumpkin you won’t even notice the difference. 

Many of them feature flicker effect too, so they look just like a real candle. 

Matt Harper, Surrey Fire Service’s Fire Investigation Station Commander said: “One of the safest things that you can do this Halloween is to swap out your tealights for torches or glow sticks. This can greatly help to reduce the risk of costumes catching fire. Halloween should be spooky, but not dangerous.”

Wear clothes underneath the costume 

By putting clothes such as jeans and a woollen jumper underneath the costume you give some protection to the skin if the costume were to catch fire. 

Teach your kids fire safety 

Have an honest, but light, conversation with your kids about being safe around fire. This doesn’t have to be scary, but just tell them fire is something they should avoid. 

Teach them how to “stop, drop and roll” just in case their clothing does catch fire. 

Keep real candles out of reach 

If you do use real candles then keep them well away from anything that can catch fire. 

Also place them on a stable surface that is heat resistant. Never leave the candle unattended and place out of reach of kids.  

Follow these tips and stay safe this Halloween so that your family enjoys the very best time on this spooky holiday!