Child Safe Window Coverings: Cordless and Motorised Options Explained

Window coverings are one of the most overlooked safety hazards in the family home. The cords and chains that operate older blinds and curtains can form loops, and a loose loop within a young child’s reach is a strangulation risk. It is a confronting subject, but the good news is that the danger is almost entirely preventable with the right products and correct installation.

This guide explains the risk, the Australian rules that exist to manage it, and the cordless and motorised options that remove the hazard altogether. If you have young children or grandchildren in the home, or you manage a rental property, this is worth reading in full.

Why window covering cords are a serious risk

The danger is real and well documented. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission reports that around one to two children die in Australian homes each year as a result of non compliant blinds and curtains. The risk comes from loose or looped cords and chains, which can wrap around a small child’s neck. You can read the regulator’s safety guidance on the ACCC Product Safety website.

Children are naturally curious, they climb, and they can reach cords from a cot, a bed, a couch or a chair pushed near a window. Because window coverings often stay in place for twenty years or more, many older homes still have cords that were installed before the current rules and may not be secured safely.

What Australian law requires

Australia has two mandatory safety standards covering corded internal window coverings, both administered by the ACCC. The supply standard, the Trade Practices (Consumer Product Safety Standard, Corded Internal Window Coverings) Regulations 2010, sets out requirements for how these products are made, labelled and packaged. The installation standard, the Competition and Consumer (Corded Internal Window Coverings) Safety Standard 2014, sets out how they must be installed.

The key installation rule

In plain terms, a corded internal window covering must be installed so that a loose cord cannot form a loop 220 millimetres or longer at less than 1,600 millimetres above floor level. To achieve this, cords are secured using a cleat or a cord guide, and those securing devices must be positioned at least 1,600 millimetres above the floor, which is roughly head height for an adult and out of a child’s reach.

Installers must also fit the required safety components, attach their name and contact details, and leave all warning labels in place. This is why professional installation matters. A survey by the ACCC of corded blinds and curtains in 131 display homes once found that only about ten per cent complied fully with the standard, which shows how easily this gets missed when it is not done carefully.

The simplest solution: remove the cord entirely

Securing cords correctly works, but the most reliable way to protect young children is to choose window coverings that have no operating cord at all. Modern cordless and motorised systems do exactly that, and they look cleaner too. Here are the main options.

Cordless and child safe options

Cordless roller and roman blinds

Spring assisted and cordless lift systems let you raise and lower a blind by hand, with no chain or cord hanging down. They are a straightforward, affordable upgrade for bedrooms and living areas. Explore the blinds range for cordless friendly styles.

Plantation shutters

Shutters are inherently child safe because they have no cords or chains at all. You tilt the louvres and fold the panels by hand. That makes plantation shutters one of the safest choices for a nursery or child’s room, with the bonus of being hard wearing and easy to clean.

Panel glide and certain curtain styles

Panel glides operate with a wand rather than a cord, and many curtain heading styles can be drawn by hand or with a wand, avoiding loops entirely. These suit large windows and sliding doors where safety and a clean look both matter.

Motorised blinds and curtains

Motorisation removes the cord completely and replaces it with a remote, a wall switch or your phone. There is nothing for a child to reach, and operation is effortless for everyone in the household. PJ offers motorised blinds and motorised curtains, which can also be set to open and close on a schedule.

Cordless vs motorised: how to choose

Both remove the cord risk. The difference comes down to budget, convenience and the window itself.

Some motorised systems are plug and play, while others may need hardwiring, in which case an electrician is involved. We will explain what your particular setup needs during the quote and can coordinate the wiring if required.

A room by room safety checklist

• Nurseries and bedrooms. Choose cordless, motorised or shutters. Never place a cot, bed or change table near a window with a corded covering.
• Living and play areas. Keep couches, shelves and anything climbable away from corded windows, or switch to cordless and motorised options.
• Whole of home. Walk through every room and check for loose or looped cords within reach at floor level or near furniture a child could climb.
• Existing cords. If you are keeping corded coverings for now, make sure cleats or cord guides secure every cord at least 1,600 millimetres above the floor.

A note for landlords and property managers

If you own or manage a rental, child safety around window cords is not just good practice, it is tied to your duty of care to provide a safe property. Corded coverings should be inspected, hazards identified, and safety devices fitted where needed. Switching to cordless or motorised coverings during a refresh removes the issue permanently and is increasingly expected by tenants with young families.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Are corded blinds illegal in Australia?

Corded internal window coverings are not banned, but they are tightly regulated. They must comply with mandatory supply and installation standards, which require warning labels, safety components, and cords secured so that no loop 220 millimetres or longer can form below 1,600 millimetres above the floor. Choosing cordless or motorised products avoids the cord risk entirely.

Q. What is the safest window covering for a nursery?

Cordless blinds, motorised blinds or curtains, and plantation shutters are the safest choices because none of them have an accessible operating cord. Shutters are especially popular in nurseries as they are also durable and easy to keep clean. Whatever you choose, keep cots and furniture away from windows.

Q. What is the 1,600 millimetre rule for blind cords?

Under the Australian installation standard, a corded internal window covering must be installed so that a loose cord cannot form a loop 220 millimetres or longer at less than 1,600 millimetres above floor level. Cleats and cord guides used to secure cords must sit at least 1,600 millimetres above the floor, which puts them out of a young child’s reach.

Q. Do motorised blinds need an electrician?

It depends on the system. Some motorised blinds and curtains are battery powered or plug and play and need no electrical work. Others are hardwired and require an electrician. During your quote we will assess your setup, explain what is needed, and can coordinate an electrician where required.

Q. Can I make my existing corded blinds child safe?

Often yes. Fitting cleats or cord guides to secure every cord at least 1,600 millimetres above the floor brings existing corded coverings into line with the safety rule. That said, the most reliable protection is to replace corded coverings with cordless or motorised alternatives, which remove the hazard completely.

Q. Are all of your products child safe?

All of our products meet Australian child safety regulations, and we offer cordless and motorised options across the range for added peace of mind. We are happy to recommend the safest choices for any room where young children spend time.

Want to make every window in your home safe for young children? The team at PJ Shutters and Blinds can recommend the right cordless and motorised options during a free measure and quote.

Child safety around window cords is a sensitive subject. If you would like authoritative guidance, the ACCC Product Safety website has detailed information for families.