King of Prussia, PA– Childproofing and child safety products have quickly become one of the fastest-growing industries in the U.S. In 1997, parents spent more than $1 billion on a wide variety of products to safeguard their children. Safe & Sound, the country's leading child safety company, announced today the beginning of its 1998 franchise program to offer business entrepreneurs opportunities to enter what "Success Magazine" calls one of the most promising franchise markets available today.
Safe & Sound is the first in the industry to offer franchises in professional childproofing services that include comprehensive education programs for parents. Certified child safety specialists conduct a room-by-room evaluation of a home's potential hazards. The specialists take time to learn about each family and then design custom safety solutions that grow with that family over time.

Safe & Sound will work with each new franchisee to select an exclusive territory based on demographics and forecasted growth potential.

Training, certification and marketing support for franchise owners will be coordinated through the company's national headquarters in Philadelphia. In addition, the company will provide owners with access to an exclusive database of updated safety and product information 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week though its own Intranet connections and its Safe & Sound Safety Advisory Council. The Council is the first of its kind. Council members include nationally and internationally known safety specialists, product engineers, physicians, and child psychologists.

The Council continually researches child safety issues and provides the latest information to franchise owners and the media.

The Safe & Sound franchise will require a total investment ranging from $31,000 to $43,000. "All our research into this industry points to tremendous growth," said Richard Shandelman, President and CEO of Safe & Sound. "Childproofing services is a perfect business model for entrepreneurs looking for high return with a minimum of inventory and capital expenditures."

According to recent data, many franchise systems fall short of supporting their franchisees. Safe & Sound has established a program of extensive training and regional conferences to ensure that owners are consistently updated on the very latest developments in childproofing and home safety. The company also provides access to in- house product engineering information.

In addition to product and service support, Safe & Sound has engineered a company-wide insurance program offering franchisees comprehensive and professional liability insurance coverage.

The company has also established formal marketing alliances with major hospitals and is endorsed by industry groups in key areas. It is the only childproofing company to provide customers with a full, one-year service guarantee.

"Safe & Sound is closely aligned with those professionals in a position to recommend childproofing services as part of their natural dialogue with parents," said Shandelman. "Our franchisees will be in a strong position to answer the growing demand for these important safety services."