Should we wrap our kids in Cotton Wool?

If the media are to be believed there is a perception that more and more schools are cancelling trips and outings for their pupils on the grounds of health and safety. 

If I think back to the various school trips I went on when I was at school I have many fond memories of going on many trips to places that were of great interest as well as educational value.  It seems a shame that schools and the teachers in some schools feel that the “burden” of health and safety law weighs upon them so much as to stop them from taking the children of this day and age on such trips that are likely to benefit them educationally and also make their school life a lot more enjoyable.

It is hard to pick up a newspaper these days without seeing stories such as conkers being banned from school due to health and safety fears or conker fights only being allowed if safety goggles are worn.  With the background of this somewhat extreme response to health and safety issues it seems an age since I was at school using Bunsen burners in science lessons and various pieces of motorised machinery and equipment in metalwork and woodworking lessons, without incident.  Unfortunately the misunderstanding in many schools of the health and safety laws and aims has led to a policy of avoiding activities as opposed to simply carrying out a very careful and thoughtful assessment of the risks of the activity/outing proposed and putting in place all reasonable measures to deal with those risks which is something, as a parent you would simply do yourself, albeit perhaps in a lot more informal way when deciding to take your own children somewhere potentially hazardous such as a boat trip for example. 

If appropriate time, thought and effort is given to the risk assessment and risk factors are dealt with properly then school outings can continue in an enjoyable and educational way for the children concerned. 

I believe that the government has even acknowledged the position by creating the out and about scheme which aims to give schools guidance on safe outings and my understanding is that my local authorities are already signed up to the Health and Safety Executive’s campaign and sensible risk management.   At the end of the day health and safety law has been created to protect people, including our children whilst under the care of teachers at school and there would undoubtably probably be a lot more accidents at school and on school outings if this health and safety law did not exist. 

In order however for the health and safety law to achieve its desired objective it surely cannot mean eliminating all risks at all cost but rather that where those risks exist that the risks are well managed, which in my view does not equate to wrapping our children in cotton wool.

By Martin Oliver.