Protecting children or creating vulnerability?

Children are, rightly, viewed as vulnerable and in need of safeguarding. However, protecting children from harm should not eclipse their need to learn about managing risky situations and those in which they are vulnerable. How adults view risk and vulnerability will affect the way in which they enab...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Community practitioner : the journal of the Community Practitioners' & Health Visitors' Association 2012-12, Vol.85 (12), p.31-33
Main Authors: Hewitt-Taylor, Jaqui, Heaslip, Vanessa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activity programs in education
Attitudes
Child
Child Welfare
Children
Children & youth
Community Health Nursing - methods
Families & family life
Harm Reduction
Humans
Nurse's Role
Nursing
Parents
Play and Playthings
Risk-Taking
Safety
Social Environment
Studies
Vulnerability
Vulnerable Populations
Working parents
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Summary:Children are, rightly, viewed as vulnerable and in need of safeguarding. However, protecting children from harm should not eclipse their need to learn about managing risky situations and those in which they are vulnerable. How adults view risk and vulnerability will affect the way in which they enable children to learn through activities which carry a degree of risk. Community practitioners may be well placed to discuss with parents how the risk and benefit of various activities can be considered, and children enabled to learn and develop resilience through acceptable risk taking activities. This paper discusses the challenges which community practitioners may encounter when working with parents on enabling them to achieve a balance between risk and safety for their children. It presents some key concepts and perspectives which may assist them to facilitate discussions with children and families.
ISSN:1462-2815