Nursery World - EYFS Best Practice: All about... risk

Risk is often associated with danger, but too much safety can
create problems of its own. Helen Tovey looks at how to get the balance
right.

The balance between risk and safety is an issue that continues to create heated debate among practitioners. Is it safe to include stinging nettles in an outdoor area? Should children be able to experience fire? Is it too risky to allow them to use a small stepladder to extend their block construction? When should children access real tools for woodwork and gardening?

WHAT IS A RISK?

To many people, the word risk is associated with danger. Risk is seen as something undesirable to be assessed, managed, controlled or eliminated. However, although risk can carry a possibility of harm it also has positive benefits and any assessment of risk has to be balanced against these benefits.

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