Risk Assessments

[Guest]

Hello,

Ive just become aware that I am meant to have generic risk assessments for indoor/outdoor learning, sand, water, computers, cooking, bikes etc - basically everything.

 

Does everyone else already have these? If so, where did it say I should have done this? How have I missed it?

 

Already found this which is useful and worrying at the same time

 

Amanda

Edited November 12, 2010 by Guest
Checking for copyright and will reinstate soon

[Guest]

Thanks Amanda, would you be able to upload the actual assessments here (depending on copyright) as not everyone may be registered with TES

 

 

I worry a little about risk assessment, not so much about 'doing' it in practice but the recording side- every activity, everyone having to read, remember and adhere, review etc it seems to have replaced 'common sense' somewhere down the line.

[Guest]

Common sense is what has definitely escaped our world. Risk assessmts come naturally when you introduce something to the class, its hard to remember all the things you would automatically say as they are so obvious and are done usually without thinking. Im worried I will forget something, or whilst teaching, assessing, everything-elsing I will forget to go back and update it.

I was also just worried I was the only one who hadnt done them!?

 

Edit by Steve: The link to the TES resource is here.

Thanks very much for the attachment Amanda, which I've replaced with a link. Can I just remind people that it's always better to link to the original if possible, to avoid breaking copyright laws. And also, if the original changes, you are automatically still looking at the latest version!

[Guest]

Thanks Amanda

 

Totally agree with you - the brain can hold a lot of information but some must be displaced when you are on overload!! (I'm sure that's what's happening to me - or it could just be my age!)

 

My other worry is the more you 'spoon feed' the more people stop thinking for themselves and in an environment like daycare/school where children have minds, thoughts and ideas of their own you cannot cover every eventuality - but it may be lessened or prevented with a more 'open ended' way of thinking. This can be applied to most, if not all, things rather than having to write out every activity you do and the risk assessment for it

 

There's too much danger of encouraging a culture of 'we only risk assess when we get the file out' when in fact it happens continually, often without us knowing we do it!

 

Edit: That said I do appreciate our accountability position!

Edited November 10, 2010 by gingerbreadman

[Guest]

Thanks Amanda

 

Totally agree with you - the brain can hold a lot of information but some must be displaced when you are on overload!! (I'm sure that's what's happening to me - or it could just be my age!)

 

My other worry is the more you 'spoon feed' the more people stop thinking for themselves and in an environment like daycare/school where children have minds, thoughts and ideas of their own you cannot cover every eventuality - but it may be lessened or prevented with a more 'open ended' way of thinking. This can be applied to most, if not all, things rather than having to write out every activity you do and the risk assessment for it

 

There's too much danger of encouraging a culture of 'we only risk assess when we get the file out' when in fact it happens continually, often without us knowing we do it!

 

Edit: That said I do appreciate our accountability position!

 

 

I also agree that 'common sense' cannot be transferred into a written document.

 

As a Foster carer I have to produce a risk assessment for each child in my care ( I have 4 siblings with varying needs / abilities)

 

Maybe if settings did risk assessments on each child this would improve the effectiveness of doing risk assessments, making them 'about the child' rather than generic 'common sense'. For activities that don't pose any 'extra' risk to an individual child then a statement of 'no specific risks other than the obvious' ( ie: scissor play) could be written.

In the above example I would have this statement for 3 of my children but for one I would state a risk relevant to his visual disability.

 

Does that make sense? Bringing the thought processes to individual children, for me, makes the whole exersise of risk assessment much more relevant.

 

Peggy

[HappyMaz]

Thanks Amanda, would you be able to upload the actual assessments here (depending on copyright) as not everyone may be registered with TES

We can't upload the actual documents here because we don't have permission to do so. I'm pretty sure TES is free to register with, so FSF members shouldn't have a problem finding the documen if they'd like to download it.

[Guest]

We can't upload the actual documents here because we don't have permission to do so. I'm pretty sure TES is free to register with, so FSF members shouldn't have a problem finding the documen if they'd like to download it.

 

 

Thanks Maz - wasn't sure, didn't know it was free - off to register

Edited November 12, 2010 by gingerbreadman

[Guest]

Ive had a reply from the Early Years Team and they said that we should be fine if it is covered in the Enabling Environments part of our policies (eg that the resources (listed) are checked daily and leaves are swept etc). I will make sure it is when I update it, but for now have adapted the document from the link supplied.