Child carers urged to manage, rather than avoid, risk
14:04 - 01/03/2010
Child carers urged to manage, rather ...
The Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care have issued the message to those involved in childcare that they want to encourage good risk management, not risk aversion.
At a conference organised by Children in Scotland and Play Scotland, Ronne Hill, Director of Children’s Services Regulation, rubbished claims that children were being discouraged from engaging in physical play because regulation is forcing nurseries and care homes to create a ‘cotton wool culture’.
He asserted that regulation should not hinder play and even went on to stress that children should be encouraged to get outdoors, explore their environment, develop skills and self-confidence and have fun. Ronnie explained that the Care Commission, which regulates 10,508 services that look after children, simply recommend that balance is achieved with only appropriate, rather than unacceptable, risks being taken.
Speaking at the ‘Children, risk and responsibility: encouraging confidence in a risk-averse society’ conference, Ronnie said: “Unfortunately, a number of urban myths have circulated that the Care Commission policy prevents nurseries from encouraging physical activities for children. The simple answer is that this is untrue.”
Ronnie acknowledged that those who care for children and young people must take their safety and well-being very seriously but suggested that “appropriate risk-taking” was key to a child’s emotional development. Care Commission policy recommends that the service provider has assessed the risks involved in a given activity and has taken sufficient measures to control and manage those risks.
Ronnie added that the Care Commission is aware that “delivering stimulating educational activities goes hand in hand with good risk assessment and risk management. We know that thousands of regulated care services across Scotland are providing excellent opportunities for our young people and they are managing risk well.”
We offer a Health & Safety for Child Carers training course for anyone involved in childcare which aims to inform delegates of their health and safety obligations.
Mike Mulcahy, Head of Curriculum, says: “People who work with children assume responsibilities for their health and safety and need to ensure that they do not expose the children in their care to unnecessary risks but, at the same time, it is not beneficial to a child to restrict them too much or wrap them in cotton wool. Our Health & Safety for Child Carers course provides clear guidance on health and safety legislation and covers risk assessments, accident prevention and hazard spotting. In addition to this, we also offer a Risk Assessment for Care course which is for anyone involved in health and social care and covers the risk assessment process in greater detail.”
For further information on these courses, or any of our courses aimed at those who work with children, please contact us today.
At a conference organised by Children in Scotland and Play Scotland, Ronne Hill, Director of Children’s Services Regulation, rubbished claims that children were being discouraged from engaging in physical play because regulation is forcing nurseries and care homes to create a ‘cotton wool culture’.
He asserted that regulation should not hinder play and even went on to stress that children should be encouraged to get outdoors, explore their environment, develop skills and self-confidence and have fun. Ronnie explained that the Care Commission, which regulates 10,508 services that look after children, simply recommend that balance is achieved with only appropriate, rather than unacceptable, risks being taken.
Speaking at the ‘Children, risk and responsibility: encouraging confidence in a risk-averse society’ conference, Ronnie said: “Unfortunately, a number of urban myths have circulated that the Care Commission policy prevents nurseries from encouraging physical activities for children. The simple answer is that this is untrue.”
Ronnie acknowledged that those who care for children and young people must take their safety and well-being very seriously but suggested that “appropriate risk-taking” was key to a child’s emotional development. Care Commission policy recommends that the service provider has assessed the risks involved in a given activity and has taken sufficient measures to control and manage those risks.
Ronnie added that the Care Commission is aware that “delivering stimulating educational activities goes hand in hand with good risk assessment and risk management. We know that thousands of regulated care services across Scotland are providing excellent opportunities for our young people and they are managing risk well.”
We offer a Health & Safety for Child Carers training course for anyone involved in childcare which aims to inform delegates of their health and safety obligations.
Mike Mulcahy, Head of Curriculum, says: “People who work with children assume responsibilities for their health and safety and need to ensure that they do not expose the children in their care to unnecessary risks but, at the same time, it is not beneficial to a child to restrict them too much or wrap them in cotton wool. Our Health & Safety for Child Carers course provides clear guidance on health and safety legislation and covers risk assessments, accident prevention and hazard spotting. In addition to this, we also offer a Risk Assessment for Care course which is for anyone involved in health and social care and covers the risk assessment process in greater detail.”
For further information on these courses, or any of our courses aimed at those who work with children, please contact us today.
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