Holly Choi is internationally recognized as a baby and toddler safety expert and is regularly called on by US and Canadian media for her expert commentary. She’s been featured numerous times as a child safety expert in Forbes, New York Magazine, appeared on Good Morning America, CBC, Global News and CTV.
But that’s no surprise.
Holly is a Child Passenger Safety Technician-Instructor (CPST-I), Red Cross certified first aid instructor, member of the International Association for Child Safety, member of Prevent Child Injury, and co-owner of Safe Beginnings First Aid and Safer Seats. She has specialized training in childhood burn prevention and child passenger safety, and spends a good chunk of her time consulting with baby gear manufacturers. She’s also a mom to two young daughters.
An expert in her own right.
The story begins in 2015 when Holly was working in the Medical Software field and about to embark on her first maternity leave. She already had a keen interest in baby and toddler safety, and while on maternity leave she became certified as a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) with the Child Passenger Safety Association of Canada; a national not-for-profit organization she is now the Vice President of.
Her sister, Jill, was a trained first aid instructor for many years – having been teaching CPR and choking workshops for parents since 2010. Sharing a passion for both teaching and first aid, the sisters decided to join forces.
In 2016 they started Safe Beginnings First Aid. The leading provider of infant and toddler-focused safety workshops and courses for parents in North America.
Today, more than 70,000 parents and caregivers have completed Safe Beginnings’ signature course “Infant/Child CPR, Choking and Injury Prevention”, with over 150,000 others learning how to keep their babies and toddlers safe, following along on Holly’s Instagram account, @safebeginnings.
Making lifesaving skills accessible
Visit the Safe Beginnings website and you’ll find their signature course alongside a catalog of other courses such as “First Aid for the Infant and Toddler Years”, to recertification courses for midwives and nurses. These courses run regularly in person across the Greater Vancouver, BC area and in-person workshops start at $55. If learners are unable to attend in person, online courses are available for parents and caregivers across North America.
The affordable price point and range of dates and learning options are just some of the ways that Holly ensures lifesaving skills are accessible to everyone.
“I’ve always loved when you can see someone have that “a-ha” moment where it all clicks into place. We ensure we use multiple learning methods in our classes to help everyone get to that moment of “a-ha” in their own way.” Says Holly.
You’ll also find a raft of free resources on the website – from babyproofing checklists to car seat selection tools. And if learners are unsure what course is right for them, they can take a quiz to find out what course would best suit their family’s needs.
“As a child safety educator, my goal is always to get resources into the hands of the families that need them. I recognize this as a unique opportunity to give back to my community in a way that could make a lasting impact.” Says Holly.
Empowering caregivers to look after their little ones
Their popular Instagram account, @safebeginnings, provides accessible baby and toddler injury prevention information to a community of over 150,000 parents worldwide.
Holly understands first-hand the role of a busy parent and understands that baby and toddler safety can be super overwhelming for parents and caregivers. A lot of thought and clever learning design has gone into how they can educate an already busy audience on such important, but often overlooked, issues.
The Safe Beginnings instagram account is full of engaging, bite-sized learning resources that help parents identify risks and hazards.
Her approach to teaching first aid is simple, straightforward and practical, and the “toilet paper roll test” is one example of this – if a toy fits inside a toilet paper roll then it’s a potential choking hazard. And her advice on this? Don’t throw the toy away – exercise caution and supervise.
There’s no shaming or fear mongering and Holly’s goal is to create a non-judgemental environment. To never tell others how to parent, but to provide hard facts so that they can weigh risks and hazards for themselves.
“One of the things I preach regularly is knowing the difference between risks and hazards, and using that to make decisions about safety”, says Holly. “It’s about giving parents and caregivers the facts, to reduce anxiety around safety, so they can instead feel prepared and informed to make solid choices within their comfort zone.”
Holly’s goal for Safe Beginnings is to continue reaching more parents and caregivers with essential skills and knowledge they need to keep their babies and toddlers safe. With social media comes the ability to reach beyond local families and helps them achieve that goal. For Safe Beginnings, their online presence will continue to be a huge business focus to continue their year-on-year growth.
“What could be more important than knowing our family is safe? I like to think of first aid courses as an insurance policy we never hope to use. It’s something we should all have, before an emergency occurs, so that we react confidently in the times we need to.” Says Holly.
Follow their progress on LinkedIn and be sure to join the growing community on Instagram.
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