'Don't outlaw risk,' experts say after tragedy

Experts have spoken out to reassure practitioners that outdoor environments that challenge children are relatively safe, and within their settings they should continue to carry out risk benefit assessments rather than limit children's outdoor experiences.

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), incidents similar to the one that took place at York College's outdoor area last month (see box) are very rare, with one death in playgrounds occurring nationally every two to three years.

David Yearley, RoSPA's head of play safety, said, 'Considering the millions of children and thousands of play spaces, the number of playground deaths is statistically very small. Nursery deaths are very rare with perhaps two in the past 15 years.'

Julie Mountain, director of outdoor play consultancy Play Learning Life, said that nurseries, pre-schools and childminders should think more laterally about how children might use play equipment rather than use it in the way it is intended.

'Early years settings need to broaden the brief of the risk-benefit assessment,' she said. 'When introducing den building, for example, nurseries and childminders should make sure children help to clear up at the end of the day. Practitioners don't necessarily need to do a written risk assessment, but should do a dynamic risk assessment to make it clear to staff the potential hazards.'

Her comments are in line with new Ofsted guidance, due to be published later this month, that enables early years settings to judge for themselves whether a risk assessment needs to be recorded in writing.

In order to minimise risk while not depriving children of play opportunities, Catherine Prisk, director of Play England, has also recommended that childminders and nurseries take steps to involve children in understanding risk from the start.

Ms Mountain suggests this could be done through nursery taster sessions by introducing parents and children to outdoor areas to help them become familiar with equipment.

The advice follows a statement published by the Health and Safety Executive in September to tackle misunderstandings about what the law says in regards to providing a safe play environment for children.

It states, 'Play is a safe and beneficial activity. Sensible adult judgements are all that is generally required to derive the best benefits to children while ensuring that they are not exposed to unnecessary risk.

'Play providers should use their own judgement and expertise as well as, where appropriate, the judgement of others, to ensure that the assessments and controls proposed are proportionate to the risks involved.'

PLAYGROUND DEATH

Last month, a three-year-old girl died after becoming tangled in play equipment at York College Nursery's outdoor area.

North Yorkshire Police confirmed that three-year-old Lydia Bishop suffered serious injuries after becoming entangled on a rope on a slide in the nursery's outside space.

York College Nursery was subsequently closed for two weeks while the police and the Health and Safety Executive carried out their investigations.

A letter was sent to parents from York City Council explaining the situation and advising them of alternative childcare, costs of which will be covered by York College.

As Nursery World went to press, York College Nursery was not expected to reopen before 5 November.