Young children have only a limited understanding of the risks that surround them, so they fall over, bang their heads, scrape their knees and worse. Adults often try to create a risk-free environment, but this can reduce children's opportunities to manage their own risk, making it difficult for them to learn how to judge new situations. Children's learning about risk starts in the very early years and lasts throughout childhood. Teaching children how to keep themselves safe is the responsibility of parents and practitioners. This practical guide shows how adults can share their own skills with young children and promote understanding of safety within an interesting learning environment. The book looks at: putting risk into perspective; how children learn to take care of themselves; how to support children after accidents and avoiding preventable accidents; and working in partnership with parents. The first edition made a huge contribution to the debate around children and risk. Over ten years later, this new edition thoroughly re-examines the issues of the first edition and assesses recent developments such as risk-benefit analysis and the importance of outdoor experiences. Written for the full range of practitioners involved with children, it will support them to take the middle path of offering enough challenge to benefit children, while avoiding the extremes of over-protection or careless practice.
