Risk-benefit Assessment Workshops for Play Providers

The workshop aims to enhance practitioners' understanding of, and confidence to, address the issue of risk in play. We do this by looking at the factors that affect practitioners' judgment, including their concerns about the potential for parental complaint or being thought negligent. A risk-benefit assessment is undertaken by workshop participants as part of the workshop.

The workshop explores the link between risk-benefit assessment and creating best possible play environments.

Who’s the risk-benefit assessment workshop for?

The workshops are for everyone whose decisions have an impact on play provision whether in supervised provision, designated unsupervised play spaces, or where play opportunities are within parks and shared public space generally.

The workshops are useful for:

• play providers generally;
• landscape architects and designers of play opportunities generally;
• health and safety officers;
• schools – teachers, Governors and playground supervisors.

Who are the workshops leaders?

The workshops are led by PLAYLINK Associates knowledgeable about, and committed to, play and the need for risk to be an essential component of the play offer. Workshop leaders include:

• Phil Doyle, play consultant;
• Judi Legg, play designer
• Sue Gutteridge, former Head of Stirling Play Services;
• Bernard Spiegal, PLAYLINK’s Principal.

A significant advance

PLAYLINK’s Principal is co-author of the HSE-endorsed ‘Managing Risk in Play Provision: implementation guide’ published jointly by Play England, DCSF and DCMS.

PLAYLINK has found that the Risk-benefit and play workshop is a powerful tool enabling practitioners to become more confident in offering children challenging and stimulating play opportunities.

Workshop Content

Each workshop is designed to be responsive to the specific concerns of the participants. We aim to cover the questions below. The level of detail accorded each question varies in response to local need. The exception is the risk-benefit assessment process itself, which is mandatory for providers and is fully covered in every workshop.

• Culture of anxiety: how it affects judgement.
• Negligence: the difference between negligence and an accident.
• Reasonableness: how can you show that you make reasonable judgements about risk levels?
• What constitutes a serious injury?
• Risk-benefit assessment.
• The play environment: what are the criteria by which judgements should be made?

How many workshop participants?

Generally, it is best not to exceed 15 participants per workshop but there can be some flexibility on this.

Cost

£1,400.00 per workshop.

To discuss the risk-benefit assessment Workshop, please contact us.