From 23 to 29 June, the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) is organising Child Safety Week, to highlight the prevention of accidents that are life-threatening, disabling, disfiguring or cause long-term trauma and distress, with the theme 'one moment can change everything'. The Trust is appealing to play settings to join them in raising awareness.
However, the week comes at a time when there is a feeling in the playwork field that too much emphasis is being placed on children's safety - either from a fear of litigation from those supplying play provision or a general adult paranoia in society - which is stifling the very fun, freedom and development of the children it is meant to protect. Last year, to mark Playday, the Children's Play Council publicised the case of primary school children who were prevented from making daisy chains because they might pick up germs. Its research found that other traditional childhood games, ranging from playing with yo-yos to doing handstands had also been stopped.
In January, a parish council in Wiltshire removed swings that had been in place for 25 years without any accident, not because they were in bad condition but because they were the wrong height under a European safety standard that was not even legally binding.
'We understand that experimenting and risk-taking are part of growing up, and we don't want to see children wrapped in cotton wool to prevent every minor bump and bruise, says CAPT chief executive, Katrina Phillips, when asked whether the emphasis on safety is stifling children's play. 'Our focus is on preventing serious accidents - those that can cause death, disability and disfigurement. Of course there will be risks when children play, as there are risks everywhere. The important thing is that adults recognise those hazards that can cause serious injuries to children and take action to remove or control them.'
BALANCING ACT
Under the National Standards for Out-of-School Care (Standard 6), club managers are legally required to take 'positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensure proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents' (see box). Guidance is provided, but essentially it is up to settings to decide how they will meet the requirements, and satisfy Ofsted inspectors when they call.
Managers can sometimes feel it is a heavy responsibility to ensure safety, as well as freedom for children, when risks are part of everyday life. But risk assessment - which is required under the National Standards - can help strike an objective balance between the benefits and risks of play, and whether a risk is acceptable given the age and abilities of the children (see our guide to risk assessment on page 10). Children need to be risk-takers in order to develop and grow in ability, maturity and confidence and risk is associated with challenge, fun and achievement.
Without opportunities to take risks, children will not be equipped to manage life and may feel overwhelmed when they have to become more independent. How will they cope with crossing busy roads for instance, if they have had little practice of risk-taking in the relative safety of their play?
The Play Safety Forum (the membership of which includes the Children's Play Council and the Health and Safety Executive) was set up in 1996 to bring together the key national agencies - there are 14 of them - involved in regulating and implementing play safety issues. In a recent position statement expressing their joint opinion and entitled 'Managing risk in play provision', the Forum says, 'Children need and want to take risks when they play. Play provision aims to respond to these needs and wishes by offering children stimulating, challenging environments for exploring and developing their abilities. In doing this, play provision aims to manage the level of risk so that children are not exposed to unacceptable risks of death or serious injury.'
It's hoped this statement will give confidence to those involved in the risk assessment of children's play, since everyday minor injuries are not considered to be an unacceptable risk. Statistics show the most frequent play-related minor injuries occur during football, but the Forum is not suggesting that clubs respond by banning the game - the benefits to the children are considered to balance out the level of risk involved.
As a supportive statement on 'Managing risk in play provision' by the Health and Safety Executive concludes, 'We must not lose sight of the important developmental role of play for children in the pursuit of the unachievable goal of absolute safety. The important message is that there must be freedom from unacceptable risks of life-threatening or permanently disabling injury in play.'
HELPING CHILDREN AVOID SERIOUS ACCIDENTS
The Child Accident Prevention Trust accepts that most children will happily experience nothing more than the scrapes and bruises that are part of playing during childhood, but states that, '...for some children and young people - and their families - accidents will have far-reaching consequences. Over the next 12 months, almost 400 children and young people under 15 will be killed in accidents. This compares to an estimated 60 deaths from family abuse and neglect, 20 killings by adults outside the family and 150 deaths from meningitis.'
According to the CAPT, 27 children under 16 were killed when cycling in 2001 and a further 653 were seriously injured, while in 1999, an estimated 17,400 children between the ages of five and 15 were taken to hospital following a fall. Road accidents are the biggest single cause of accidental death to children and many other accidents happen to children at home. So while it is important that we carry out risk assessments relating to our club's premises and activities to keep children safe while they are in our care, it's equally important that we equip children to manage risk outside of our environment, giving them safety skills for life.
CAPT has a free Child Safety Week pack for settings (see 'further information'), including posters and activity ideas. Many are ideal for out-of-school clubs - facts and scenarios provide helpful talking points.
In one scenario, an 11-year-old does not wear a cycle-helmet playing on his bike, and is clipped by a car. After a discussion about why helmets should always be worn, the children are encouraged to design one for their favourite celebrity to wear, making a display to promote cycle safety.
The children might also like to identify local places that are dangerous to play in because of the possibility of a fall, which could include cliffs or bridges perhaps. They could then think of safer places where they can play the same games, and take photographs of the locations to display.
You could ask children about their safety concerns and address them. For instance, if they're worried about what to do if there's an accident when they're with friends, you could talk about possible actions, and teach children useful skills - such as how to make a 999 call from a telephone box and mobile phone, or perhaps some basic first aid principles, taught by an expert.
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
The National Care Standards for Out-of-School Care represent a baseline of quality, below which no registered out-of-school club may fall. Standard 6 is concerned with safety. Broadly, it's required that: * Risk assessment is undertaken (see page 10 for our risk assessment guide) * Gas and electricity appliances and fittingsare safe * Security measures are adequate * Levels of supervision are appropriate to children and activities * Outside areas and activities are assessed and checked * Fire safety procedures are in place * Hazardous equipment is assessed * Insurance of 'substantial level' is held and * Outings and transport are safely planned.
In addition, clubs must comply with all other relevant legislation, which includes health and safety and food safety.
FURTHER INFORMATION
These websites have excellent links to other worthwhile sites: * Children's Play Council Tel: 020 7843 6303 Visit www.ncb.org.uk(to download the Play Safety Forum statement add 'cpc/publications' or telephone CPC admin on 020 7843 6016).
* Child Accident Prevention Trust Tel: 020 7608 3828 Visit www.capt.org.uk
* "THINK! Hedgehogs" Department of Transport website, aimed at children aged 8-11 years. Visit www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/hedgehogs/index.htm
* RoSPA - download safety information and resources.
Visit www.rospa.com
* Health & Safety Executive Tel: 01787 881 165 Visit www.hse.gov.uk
* PLAY SAFETY FORUM The Children's Play Information Service can give contact details Tel: 020 7843 6303
