The Early Years Foundation Stage requirements ensure that essential standards of provision are in place, but it does not end there, providers are required to conduct regular risk assessments which identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis. The process should then involve deciding what should be done to prevent harm, making sure 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 that staff are trained and aware of their responsibilities. This is particularly important in an early years setting, as children should be able to grow and develop being able to take appropriate risks through physically challenging play. Children must also have the opportunity to work out what is not safe and what they should do when faced with a risk.
Early years settings should already have fairly comprehensive health and safety risk assessments that inform their procedures and a competent person identified to be in charge of their implementation. Staff in all settings and at every level should be involved in reviewing these, as they are the ones with first hand knowledge as to whether the control measures are effective, and can give an informed view to help update procedures accordingly. This will be increasingly important with the focus on identifying areas that need to be checked on a regular basis, as we work within the requirements of the EYFS, and move away from the idea of a risk assessment being an annual or bi-annual event carried out under headings that rarely change.
Parental involvement should also be welcomed as they 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 encouraged to report any potential hazards to staff. It is also good practice to invite parents 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 other's safety. This approach is encouraged in the EYFS acknowledging that every early years setting is different and that every service has different elements.
Risk assessments on aspects such as security of the building, fire safety, food safety, bathroom hygiene and nappy changing, outings, and personal safety of staff should already exist. What is being done with the children will also in some cases require risk assessments — for example cooking activities, supervising children's use of climbing equipment, or a visit from somebody outside the organisation who may be bringing equipment to show the children as part of a topic. A pattern of minor accidents being recorded would also require action, whatever the reason for the risk assessment the process remains the same:
Risk assessment processes identify 5 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? If it is not working, it will need to be amended, or maybe there is a better solution.
It is usually the responsibility of the manager or person in charge to devise the format of the risk assessment using the above points; they must then ensure that they are carried out and that the completed forms are kept to inform procedures that guide your work on a day to day basis. Download HSE Publication Five steps to risk assessment