eyfs home visit risk assessment

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EYFS Risk AssessmenT

At Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School we teach our children how to keep themselves safe. We do this by providing activities and resources which have some small risks and require the children to think independently about being safe. The staff at Stonebroom think carefully before planning activities to ensure children can manage the risk successfully.

Please find below our Risk Assessments for the EYFS settings.

High Street, Stonebroom, Alfreton, Derbyshire, DE55 6JY

01773 872449

[email protected] | Headteacher: Mrs S George

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Risk Assessment Guidance

Risk assessment and ofsted.

The Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage state:

3.65. Providers must ensure that they take all reasonable steps to ensure staff and children in their care are not exposed to risks and must be able to demonstrate how they are managing risks (63). Providers must determine where it is helpful to make some written risk assessments in relation to specific issues, to inform staff practice, and to demonstrate how they are managing risks if asked by parents and/or carers or inspectors. Risk assessments should identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis, when and by whom those aspects will be checked, and how the risk will be removed or minimised.

EYFS Welfare Requirement Links;

• Safeguarding and promoting children’s welfare
• Documentation
• Organisation

(63) Guidance on risk assessments, including where written ones may be required where five or more staff are employed, can be obtained from the Health and Safety Executive

What is Risk Assessment?

The definition of hazard and risk are:

A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm or ill health. This can include items, substances, plants, machinery, methods of working, the environment and other aspects of the work organisation.

A risk is the likelihood that harm will arise from the hazard. Risks can come from accidents, uncertainty in the financial market, project failures, legal liabilities, natural causes and disasters as well as deliberate attacks.

What is risk assessment?

Risk assessment is careful examination by looking at your provision and assessing what may cause possible risks / harm to staff, children and anyone visiting your childcare provision.

Risk management is the:

• identification
• prioritization of any risk followed by the coordination and application of resources to
• control to weigh up whether enough precautions are in place or more needs to be done to prevent harm.

Why is it important?

It is important to identify where people might be at risk and what of, and look at what precautions can be put in place to prevent these occurrences. Risk assessment is an important part of ensuring the safety of yourself and others on the premises and to avoid accidents and injuries occurring.

What needs to be risk assessed?

All areas of the building will need to be assessed to identify all possible occurrences that pose any risk to any person. (This includes all aspects indoor and outdoor areas). Any visits and outings should be risk assessed in advance to ensure they are not a high risk to those attending.

Who should complete risk assessments?

Risk assessments should always be carried out by a person who is experienced and competent to do so. Competence can be expressed as a combination of knowledge, awareness, training and experience.

If necessary consult a more experienced member of staff or seek external professional help to assist with the risk assessment. Remember competence does not mean you have to know everything about everything, competence also means knowing when you should call in further expert help.

When should risk assessments be carried out?

Risk assessments should be carried out on a continuously basis. For specific areas which are not constantly changing, it is possible to put a risk assessment in place, and review this assessment every year, unless a significant change occurs and then it will need to be reviewed sooner. Daily checklists should be carried out on the indoor and outdoor areas to ensure they are safe before use. These should monitor any occurrences and ensure that any risks identified are dealt with immediately.

How to evaluate the risks?

Identify the hazards

Identify those at risk

• Identify existing control measures
• Evaluate the risk and record
• Decide / implement control measures
• Record assessment

Monitor and review

• Inform management

First of all you need to identify what the hazards are. You can identify hazards by:

• Observation
• Talk to those carrying out the job
• Look at records: accident book, sickness / ill health absenteeism and near misses
• Instruction manuals
• Data sheets: COSHH

Then walk around your setting and note down what you think may be a risk. Concentrate on looking at things that could cause harm or could affect a number of people, for example slipping and tripping hazards from poorly maintained flooring or fire hazards from flammable materials.

Look at the people that could be affected by each of the risks, is it the:

• member of the public
• trades person
• someone else?

List all the different people that could be affected.

Identify Existing Control Measures

Look at what precautions are already in place- is there enough being done to minimise the risk or could more be done? Using this information decide if the risk is high, medium or low. If it is a medium or high risk, look at what further precautions could be put in place. Note these actions down and assess the risk again.

Evaluate the Risk

Can I get rid of the hazard altogether?

If not, how can I control the risk so that harm is unlikely?

Use the chart below to identify the “residual risk” either low ,  medium  or  high . If the residual risk is medium to high then you must do something to lower risk.

Decide / Implement Control Measures

If the risk is not adequately controlled decide which new control procedures are required and implement them. To control risk apply the following principles:

• Remove the risk
• Try a less risky option (switch to a less hazardous chemical)
• Prevent access to the hazard (buy a guard)
• Organise work to reduce exposure to the hazard (produce rules to ensure safe use)
• Provide information, instruction, training and supervision. (warn people of the hazards, tell, show and help them.)
• Issue personal protective equipment ( clothing, footwear, gloves)
• Provide welfare facilities (first aid and washing facilities for removal of contamination)

Be sure that what you propose to do will work in practice and won’t introduce any new hazards.

After you have implemented the new control procedures, re-rank the risk to determine the new residual risk. You should aim to get the risk to as low as is reasonably practicable until it is at a tolerable level.

Record Assessment

Write down the results of your risk assessment and share them with your staff team or family if you are a childminder. Keep copies of the assessment for your record and for inspection and or insurance purposes:

• Health and Safety Executive
• Local Authority

You must ensure that the control measures are achieving the desired level of control. You must review the assessment on a regular basis or if anything changes for example new staff or equipment, pregnant staff)

Ask yourself:

• Have there been any changes?
• Are there improvements you still need to make?
• Has your staff spotted a problem?
• Have you learnt anything from accidents or near misses?

Remember to keep your risk assessments up to date and set a review date. Put it in your diary as an annual event.

You have a legal duty to relay the findings of the assessment to everyone who is affected by it. You must also provide information to the workforce on any new control measure implemented, any emergency procedures that have been developed and their duties as employees.

Ask a few people to check your risk assessment as other people may spot something that you have missed. Start a register of risk assessments so that you can find them quickly if needed.

Relevant Legislation

According to section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, all employers have a duty to ensure that so far as is reasonably practicable the health, safety and welfare of all employees is looked after.

The Act also requires that employers of five or more employees have a written statement of their health and safety policy and that this is along with any revisions communicated to the staff.

There are specific laws that ensure the safety of the child as well as that of the practitioner. The legislation relevant to health and safety in a childcare setting is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA) and the Children Act 1989.

HASAWA applies to all workplaces, including restaurants, shops etc. It was designed to protect employees in the workplace and applies to settings with 5 or more employees. The act specifies duties that employers and employees must fulfil. It states that all employees must follow the setting's health and safety procedures and use the safety equipment provided.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999) requires employers to assess the risks of activities, introduce measures to control those risks and tell their employees about these measures. Appoint one or more competent person to help and advise on health and safety matters.

Health and safety of pupils on Educational Visits. (DFES 1998, supplemented 2002)

The reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995

The law does not expect you to eliminate all risk, but you are required to protect people as far as “reasonably practicable”

Failure to comply with Health and Safety Law can result in heavy fines or imprisonment.

In the event of an accident, will I be held personally liable if I got the risk assessment wrong?

There are inevitably concerns regarding personal liabilities especially in relation to getting a risk assessment 'wrong'. The following points should provide reassurance:

• Risk Assessment should involve those at risk. (The more people consulted the fewer hazards that will be missed).
• Report upwards if worried
• Seek advice if it's a technical matter
• You cannot be held responsible for an event that was not "reasonably foreseeable".
• Act within your training/instructions.
• Prosecutions are rare for individuals. Staff act as an instrument of their employer and the concept of vicarious liability applies. With regard to a criminal prosecution, should there be shortcomings, staff are highly unlikely to be individually prosecuted, since their defence might be that they had not been adequately trained by their employer. With regard to a civil action, the same holds true with the addition that where monetary recompense is being sought, individuals have far less money than their employer, who will therefore be the more likely target.

Could I avoid any personal liability by not signing risk assessments?

- Any individual prosecution is more likely to result from doing/not doing/being in charge of something that, on the facts, was obviously irresponsible.

- However, while the piece of paper can't make the facts any worse, it just might limit your penalty by demonstrating that effort had been put into place to try and get it right. Whereas, if the facts look bad, not having that signed bit of paper will ensure a conviction.

- Ensure written risk assessments are issued to those involved. In 1995, a lecturer was prosecuted because his risk assessment was only verbally delivered to a student who was subsequently involved in an accident and later swore that the instruction was not given.

Non Compliance

The penalties for failing to carry out risk assessments can be strict, The Health & Safety Executive can issue improvement or prohibition notices, this is likely to happen where a Health and Safety inspector find a situation with the potential to cause harm, for example an unguarded machine. If you are prosecuted and found guilty for more serious breeches i.e. one of your staff has been seriously injured, then in the magistrate court you can be fined up to £20,000 and imprisoned for up to 6 months, in Crown court fines are unlimited and prison sentences can be up to 2 years. The lack of suitable risk assessments will weigh heavily against you.

A nursery in Surrey, was prosecuted after a child with allergies was taken to hospital after being fed a meal containing nuts. This happened on the 20th October 2015. The parents had informed the nursery of their child’s nut allergy on more than one occasion and an investigation by the council’s Environmental Health officers found health and safety training for staff at the nursery was inadequate. The nursery gave the child a meal made from pesto, which contained nuts, after there were no nut-free meals in the freezer. A member of staff bought the pesto, assuming it was nut free. Despite being aware of the child’s allergies, none of the staff checked the label which clearly stated the pesto contained cashew nuts. The child was taken to hospital in an ambulance, with breathing issues, swelling of the ears, hands and arms and covered hives. The nursery was charged for exposing the child to a health and safety risk, fined £10,000 and ordered to pay Waverley Borough Council’s costs of £4500 and a victim surcharge of £120.

You can find many more prosecutions like this on the internet.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

For straightforward guidance on how to comply with the law, we refer you to   Health and safety made simple   on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Look at what precautions are already in place, is enough being done to minimise risk or could more be done? Use this information to decide if the risk is high, medium or low. If it is a medium or high risk, consider further precautions that could be put in place, note these, take action and review the risk again until the level is low.

Examples of areas to be risk assessed: 

These have been listed alphabetically and are a general guide of areas to consider, but are not an exhaustive list and may differ for different provision.

Access points in and out of the building

Consider– door locks, entry systems, key holders, security passwords, door bell, Collection of child – risk of a stranger trying to collect the child

Access to equipment

Consider – height of storage facilities, weight of equipment, tidiness, suitability of shelves and cupboards. What you store such as knives and harmful products. Christmas tree cables and glass baubles

Consider – specific allergies, access to medication, allergy free zones, cross contamination

Causes of fire Consider – possible sources, fire exits, fire evacuation procedures and practices

Consider – fingers being trapped, height of door handles

Electrical equipment

Consider – loose cables, Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) testing, socket covers, cables trailing, height of equipment, storage of equipment, where it is used

High cupboards, shelves, pegs, display boards, furniture and mirrors

Consider – falling objects, over reaching, heavy objects, top-heavy storage

Fire prevention and control equipment

Consider - appropriate equipment, location, testing, replacement

Floor surfaces (carpets, rugs and tiles) 

Consider – uneven surfaces, slippery surfaces, loose surfaces, trip hazards, steps, warning signs, people with visual or physical disability or impairment

Food preparation areas

Consider – cleanliness, hand washing facilities, equipment. Follow Safer Food Better Business guidance (SFBB) Separate hand-wash sink, different coloured cloths and copping boards.

Food storage facilities

Consider – fridges, freezers, cupboards, expiry date monitoring, raw meats, and cooked meats, fresh produce, staff training in food hygiene practices and the storage of packed lunches.

Plants (see the document here ), Toys large and small, furniture, gates etc

Storage of Cleaning Equipment

Mops, buckets, cloths and cleaning products (storage and use)

Consider – appropriate temperature levels, keeping the temperature constant, arrangements if heating breaks down, sources of heat, air-conditioning systems and fire guards.

Hot surfaces

Consider – radiators, radiator covers, cookers, microwaves, heaters, hot drinks, exposed pipes.

Lifting and handling

Consider – weight, height, training for staff, equipment, children.

Light sources

Consider – natural and manmade light sources, level of light/shade available.

Nappy changing/bodily fluids

Consider - cleanliness, protective clothing for staff, hand washing, position of changing tables, height of changing tables, weight of children, odours, disposal of nappies and/or soiled clothing.

Outdoor play areas

Consider – equipment, gates, fences and hedges, walls, pathways, decking, patios, broken glass, harmful plants and fungi, animals, animal faeces, water sources, surfaces e.g. gravel, woodchip, bark animals, sheds and greenhouses.

Consider – roads, vehicles, pathways, water sources, hedges, fences, walls, steps, weather conditions, people, car parks, transport methods and animals.

Play environments

Consider –  trip hazards, small parts, sharp objects, broken equipment, cleanliness, dust, noise and floor surfaces.

All pets such as Cats - infections such as worms can spread to children

Sand and water

Consider – cleaning, covers, toys, height, access to

Sleeping children

Consider – sleep checks, equipment, bedding, comforters, temperature, light, noise, location of the sleep area and access.

Storage of cleaning products, equipment, matches and medication 

Consider – cupboard locks, cupboard height, areas away from children

Toilet areas

Consider – cleanliness, wet floors, hand washing/drying, toilet paper, flushing toilets, protective clothing for staff.

Water sources

Consider – temperature of tap water, sources of drinking water, cleanliness

Hot and cold weather – risk of burns

Consider – height, safety glass, opening width, locks, fire/emergency  (key placement),  blinds and cords, curtains poles and rails.

Vehicles and transport

Consider - Driving licence, insurance checks, suitability o f seats and restraints, air bags, emergency equipment, breakdown procedures, MOT and check if roadworthy.

All providers are advised to carry out risk assessments of their provision and must include all aspects of the environment including premises, resources and activities as part the statutory requirements of the EYFS framework.

A risk assessment is simply a careful examination of what, in your setting, could cause harm so that you can decide whether you have taken enough precautions to minimise risk and help avoid accidents and injury.

Annual and Daily Risk Assessments

To include information on;

• What could cause harm and who to
• Checking and following manufacturer instructions for use of equipment and resources
• Regularly reviewing accident records and using these to inform risk assessments
• Identifying potential hazards
• Evaluating risks
• Identifying areas for development and recording action taken and/or precautions to be included

Other documen tation to consider:

• Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) information
• Risk assessment template (next page)
• Records of accidents and incidents
• Records of concerns identified
• Records of complaints
• Staff comments/staff meeting notes
• Ofsted inspection report, particularly actions identified

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• Early Years Setting Management

Home visits risk assessment

By Froglet , June 6, 2023 in Early Years Setting Management

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I need to write a risk assessment for a member of staff who will be doing home visits. I’ve got a pretty good idea of what to include but wondered what key things others might include?

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BenTapestrySupport

I guess the some things to consider would be: 

• Are the staff doing visits alone or in pairs?
• Stick to a timetable of visits, checking in and out from each one with someone (text), location sharing on mobile device? 
• What to do if staff members feels at risk - ask to go to toilet and message for support? 
• Using own car? 
• Planning routes between visits

I'm sure there are other things to consider too. 

I'll add on. 

• We used to have a code word in case of difficulty. Either by call or text depending, thankfully I never needed it.
• Find out about dogs/ pets. I'm allergic to dogs and cats  so I didn't visit homes with those pets. Also with so many deaths from dog attacks, its important to know.
• Consider if its customery to be offered food and drink and therefore consider food allergies.
• Asking if anyone has Covid or is ill. 
• Any mobility difficulties? Eg is the home upstairs.
• Personal alarm
• Find out who is likely to be at home when you visit.

Hope that helps.

Thanks. Those are really helpful - you’ve given me some wording too. In this instance they are mostly well-being checks linked to attendance so necessarily going in but I’m anticipating the ‘getting to know you’ visits too!

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Nursery Management

Home > Nursery Management

Health and safety – Getting it right in early years settings

• Written By: Melanie Pilcher
• Subject: Health & Safety

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Melanie Pilcher, quality and standards manager at the Early Years Alliance , outlines the importance of maintaining a comprehensive health and safety policy…

Every child deserves the best possible start in life, with the opportunity to develop in an environment both safe and secure.

Parents who use early years services should be able to do so with the utmost confidence that their children will be getting the best possible experiences and are protected from harm at all times.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)‘s safeguarding and welfare requirements is the framework that provides this assurance.

The general legal requirements, including those concerning health and safety, are supported by more detailed specific legal requirements.

Both the general and specific legal requirements have the force of regulations and must be complied with by all early years providers.

The EYFS welfare requirements also contain statutory guidance that all providers must have regard to, as it underpins the general and specific requirements.

As providers, we have a corporate responsibility and duty of care towards those who work in and receive a service from our settings.

Individual employees and service users also have responsibility for ensuring their own health and safety as well as that of others.

A comprehensive set of policies and procedures written to meet the EYFS safeguarding and welfare requirements is the key means through which this is achieved.

The EYFS requires that ‘providers must take all necessary steps to keep children safe and well’. Providers should also have contingency plans for dealing with emergencies such as:

● Public health incidents (eg a significant infectious disease incident)

● Severe weather (eg flooding)

● Serious injury to a child, pupil, student, or member of staff (eg transport accident)

● Significant damage to property (eg fire)

● Criminal activity (eg bomb threat)

● The effects of a disaster in the local community

Take a look at the non-statutory guidance for emergency planning .

Policy-making

Your health and safety policy should contain reference to the procedures that your setting has in place, which may include, but are not limited to, the following:

● Risk assessment

● Premises, including fires safety and hygiene requirements

● Manual handling

● Administering medicines

● Food and drink, including hygienic preparation and storage, and managing allergies

● Accident or injury

● Reporting Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences (RIDDOR) events

● Emergency evacuation and other emergency procedures, ie intruder on the premises

● Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH Regulations)

● Outings/outdoors

● Maintenance and repairs of the premises

● Staff personal safety (including home visits and threats and abuse towards staff)

Of course, other procedures will be required, depending on the type of service, the premises and the individual needs of your service users.

It’s also important that you review health and safety procedures regularly, particularly after an event such as emergency evacuation.

Everyone involved at the time should have the opportunity to consider how the procedure worked for them – were they able to follow it correctly and, most importantly, did they understand what they needed to do in the first place?

This is vital in an emergency situation, where you have to act quickly and competently, with little or no time to refer to a written document for clarification.

When reviewing a procedure after an ‘event’, changes may be required according to the needs you identify. If you do make changes, update every member of staff and all service users at the earliest opportunity.

What is risk assessment?

Early years providers are required to conduct regular risk assessments, which identify aspects of the environment that must be checked on a regular basis.

This involves deciding what should be done to prevent harm and ensuring that the relevant actions are taken and are updated whenever necessary.

Health and safety law does not expect all risk to be eliminated but that ‘reasonable precautions’ are taken and staff are trained and aware of their responsibilities.

This is particularly important in an early years setting, as children should be able to grow, develop and take appropriate risks through physically challenging play.

Children must have the opportunity and be encouraged to work out what is not safe and what they should do when faced with risk.

Your setting should have risk assessments where helpful in relation to specific issues that inform your procedures, and a competent person in charge of implementation.

Not all risk assessments need to be written – staff will make dynamic (on the spot) risk assessments constantly as they work with children.

Staff in all settings, and at every level, should be involved in reviewing risk assessments, as they are the ones with first-hand knowledge of whether control measures are effective and can give an informed view to help update them accordingly.

This is important as we work within the requirements of the EYFS and move away from the idea of a risk assessment being an annual or biannual event, carried out under headings that rarely change.

Parents have an active role to play too. They should be made aware of their responsibilities such as closing gates behind them and not letting strangers into the building, and also encouraged to report any potential hazards to staff – it’s good practice to invite them to take part in reviews of procedures whenever possible.

The basis of effective risk management is that everybody is involved and can therefore take responsibility for their and others’ safety.

Risk assessments on aspects such as security of the building, fire safety, food safety, nappy changing, outings and personal safety should be considered.

You should also risk assess other activities such as cooking or visitors bringing animals or vehicles to your setting.

Risk assessments are also necessary when making reasonable adjustments for disabled children or children with additional needs, in order that every child is able to take part in activities, whatever their level of need or ability.

Patterns of minor accidents require further investigation and possible actions to be taken may also be informed by a risk assessment.

Keeping children safe is of paramount importance, but that should not mean that we have to be ‘afraid’ of doing anything involving an element of risk.

Practitioners who understand their responsibility will have a can-do attitude, rather than adopting what the media describes as “‘elf and safety gone mad”, where simple common sense is not applied.

Making a judgement

Whatever the reason for the risk assessment, there are five steps that you need to take:

● Identification of risk or hazard: where is it and what is it?

● Decide who is at risk and how: for example, childcare staff, children, parents, cooks, cleaners.

● Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions: can you get rid of the risk altogether; if not how can you control it?

● Record your findings and implement them: prioritise, make a plan of action if necessary.

● Monitoring and review: how do you know if what has been decided is working, or is thorough enough?

More information about legal requirements and standards can be found on the website of the Health and Safety Executive .

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EYFS: How to get home visits right

Many settings carry out home visits before children and families start with them. 

But whether you work in a playgroup, private nursery, school nursery or Reception class, there are some important considerations to take into account before making these visits part of your practice.  

If home visiting is already part of your role, take some time to reflect and review with your team.

Quick read:  Five questions we need to ask about EYFS

Quick listen:  What you need to know about the problems with ‘school readiness’ 

Want to know more?  My year in teaching: adventures with my early years class

We must be clear and consistent about what we do and why we do it.  There are dos and don’ts that must be regarded to make sure that a visit is successful and comfortable for all involved.

Be flexible

Remember that a visit to a family’s home is a privilege. You are their guest. In this way, the visit must take place on their terms, and at their convenience.

It can be very difficult for many parents or carers to get time off to see you during the day, and their child may be at nursery during this time, making it disruptive for everyone and hardly an ideal start.  

Rather than send appointments to the families, put up a chart at your introductory sessions for new families and ask them to sign up for a convenient time.

As a teacher, I met my youngest son’s new nursery teacher at my childminder’s house during my lunch break, a mutually convenient time for us all.

Allow refusals

Remember that there is no obligation to have a visit, it is not a statutory requirement.

If a family does not want a visit for any reason this must be respected, and reasons must not be expected. 

An informal meeting at a different venue may be more acceptable. I have met families in a local coffee shop, and some of my families preferred to come to school for a private cup of tea and a chat.

The core purpose of these visits must be to build up relationships founded on two-way trust and respect.

Don’t be judgemental

In order to build up this trust and respect, the home visit must not to be viewed as a time for form filling or cross examination. 

It is not an assessment or test - remember that some families will have had other agencies involved in their lives which may not have been such a pleasant experience.

Home visits are not judgemental, and should not be perceived as such. In this way, writing any kind of notes is inappropriate; don’t go armed with a clipboard and forms to fill in as this could easily be perceived as threatening.

Your visit is an opportunity to meet each other in an informal way, play with the children and feel relaxed in each other’s company. Building up trust and respect will help families to share things in confidence if they wish.

That is not to say that forms cannot be left with the parents to be filled in after the visit. Remember that visitors with clipboards are intimidating and this will damage any relationship.

Be sensitive to timings

Think about how long each visit needs to be, and be sure that the family knows how long you will be there. It is important that these aren’t rushed, but also that the welcome is not outstayed.

The family must feel relaxed. It is fine to accept or decline a drink or something to eat just as you would when visiting a friend. 

Bring resources 

Take a resource from the setting to share with the child. I always take a story sack as they enable interaction with the child, the family can join in, and the same resource will be available for them when they start at the setting.

Stay relaxed

Keeping relaxed can help families to share very private information with you. For example medical matters, special needs or family circumstances.

This must be respected as confidential and any paperwork given must be treated securely at the setting; the information should only be shared with those who need to know.

A relaxed home visit is about your team too. If you know that a colleague has specific allergies, it is always a good idea to check if a family has pets when arrangements are made.

Go in pairs

Finally, home visits must always be done in pairs. This is a safeguard for all concerned, but is also very practical - with two adults visiting there will be time for play and conversation and for everyone to feel relaxed. 

Dr Sue Allingham is an EYFS researcher

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Resource: EYFS Daily Risk Assessment Checks Childminder/Nursery/School

Add your heading text here, eyfs daily risk assessment checks childminder/nursery/school.

This is a checklist to use in any environment to risk assess before children start or this can be done with the children on arrival.

Daily risk assessment checks are very important in Early Years because:

Vulnerable Population : Young children, due to their age and limited experience, are more vulnerable to accidents and injuries. They often lack the judgment and awareness to avoid potential dangers, making it essential for adults to pre-emptively identify and manage risks.

Dynamic Environments : Early years settings are dynamic, with toys, equipment, and materials being continuously used, moved, or changed. A daily check ensures that hazards introduced one day are not overlooked the next.

Children’s Exploration and Curiosity : Young children are naturally curious and explorative, often leading them to unexpected places or to use materials in unforeseen ways. Regular risk assessments help anticipate and mitigate potential hazards that arise from this natural curiosity.

Emotional Well-being : A safe environment where risks are minimized contributes to children’s sense of security and well-being. When children feel safe, they are more likely to engage, explore, and learn.

Professional Accountability : Staff in early years settings have a professional responsibility to ensure the safety of the children in their care. Daily risk assessments demonstrate a commitment to this duty.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance : Many countries have stringent regulations regarding child safety in educational and care settings. Regular risk assessments help ensure that these institutions remain compliant and avoid potential legal repercussions.

Building Trust with Families : Parents and guardians entrust the safety of their children to early years providers. Knowing that a daily risk assessment is conducted helps build and maintain that trust.

Changing Needs : As children grow and develop, their needs and behaviours change. What was safe for a group of toddlers might not be safe for older pre-schoolers. Daily assessments ensure that risks are evaluated in line with the developmental stage of the children.

Preventing Long-term Consequences : Injuries or traumatic events during early childhood can have long-lasting physical or emotional impacts. By assessing and mitigating risks daily, settings can help prevent such long-term consequences.

Enhancing the Learning Environment : A safe environment isn’t just about preventing harm. It’s also about creating an atmosphere where children can freely explore and learn without unnecessary restrictions. By identifying and managing risks, settings can strike a balance between safety and freedom of exploration.

In conclusion, daily risk assessments in early years settings are essential to ensure the safety, well-being, and optimal development of young children, while also meeting professional and legal obligations.

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