Below is a story called 'It Only Takes a Minute. You can download here.

Submit pictures for the stories
If you would like to submit some of your drawings and paintings to be included in the poem below, please send them to the address below or scan them in and email them to us at enquiries@prestoncaps.co.uk

Submit your picture to: Preston CAPS, Ribbleton Clinic, Langden Drive, Ribbleton, Preston, PR2 6HT

It Only Takes A Minute

David lives in a safe home. His Mummy and Daddy have made sure of it.

They have a gate at the bottom of the stairs to stop him from climbing up.
They have a gate at the top of the stairs to stop him from climbing down.

They put locks on doors and cupboards so that David can’t trap his fingers.
They put a guard in front of the fire so that he can’t burn himself.

They never hold David and a hot drink at the same time.
They never leave him alone in the bath and always run the cold water first.

They always keep medicines and pills in a locked cupboard that David cannot reach. They always use the back of the cooker when making the dinner.

They put wire mesh at the bottom of the gate to make sure David cannot crawl under it. They put him in his own special seat every time he rides in the car.

One day David was playing in the garden at the back of the house.

His Daddy came home in the car. He did not know David was in the garden.

He opened the gate and carried a heavy box from the car into the kitchen. He shut the kitchen door so that David could not get out.

David heard the kitchen door close and went to see who it was.
He saw the open gate and walked straight out into the road.

David stood in the road and looked one way. Then he turned and looked the other way.

He saw nothing. No people. No cars.

Mrs Watson, who lived in the house across the road, saw David standing there. She ran out of the house.

David, seeing nothing to play with, left the road and walked back through the gate. He knocked on the kitchen door.

His Daddy opened it just as Mrs Watson arrived out of breath.

Mrs Watson told David’s Mummy and Daddy what had just happened.

His Daddy felt sick.

His Mummy gave David a big hug and cried. She was so thankful that for just that one minute, there were no cars going up or down the road.

David said he wanted to play in the garden.

By Jeremy Scholey

This story is based on a true event.

There are a lot of things that can be done to make your house safe, many of which do not cost a penny. One of the best things to do is to supervise your child(ren). Even then, an accident still might happen, but by doing your best to prevent them the chances of an accident may be very small.