What does a balanced approach look like? (2024)

A balanced approach to managing risk in play involves bringing together in a single process thinking about both risks and benefits. Recent years have seen the development of risk- benefit assessment as the best way to support such a process. Risk-benefit assessment in play was first set out in the 2008 Play England publication Managing Risk in Play Provision: Implementation Guide. This defines risk- benefit assessment as an approach that ‘sets out in a single statement the considerationsof risk and benefit that have contributed to the decision to provide, modify or remove some facility or feature.’ This guidance document is supported by the HSE, which describes it as a ‘sensible approach to risk management.’

What marks out risk-benefit assessment from conventional risk assessment is that it includes careful consideration of the benefitsof an activity, facility, structure or experience. Because this takes place alongside a consideration of the risks, it allows for the inherent benefits of some risks to be properly taken into account. It also makes clear that good risk management does not always imply that risks should be reduced or controlled.

Alongside explicit thinking about benefits, the approach set out in Managing Risk in Play Provision: Implementation Guide includes other key features:

  • It advises that procedures should be grounded in clear values and understandings about children and their play, and recommends that providers agree and adopt a play policy to state these. The Welsh Government Play Policy is an example of this.
  • It makes clear the fact that ultimately, judgements about the balance between risks and benefits are for the provider to make,not for technical experts, external inspectors, legal advisors or insurers (although their views may be relevant).
  • It puts forward a descriptive approach, rather than any form of numerical scoring, on the basis that such scoring processes are often difficult to use consistently, and can over- complicate the task.
  • It explains how guidance and standards (including European standards forplay equipment) fit into the overall risk management task, making the point that compliance with standards is not a legal requirement (though they are taken into account in legal cases).
What does a balanced approach look like? (2024)

FAQs

What does a balanced approach look like? ›

WHAT DOES A BALANCED APPROACH LOOK LIKE? A balanced approach involves bringing together thinking about risks and benefits in a single process. Recent years have seen the development of risk benefit assessment as the best way to do this.

What is a balanced approach? ›

A balanced approach to managing risk in play involves bringing together in a single process thinking about both risks and benefits.

What is the importance of using a balanced approach and child involvement when planning activities for children? ›

A balanced approach means that children are allowed to take risks, but safeguards are in place to reduce harm as much as is reasonably possible. We all take risks, and it is important for children to learn how to manage risk; however, this should be managed in a safe way.

What does balance of risks mean? ›

2 A forecaster's “balance of risks” or “risk weighting” indicates the direction of risks (high inflation v. low inflation or deflation) that the forecaster believes is more likely.

What is the risk benefit approach to play? ›

Risk-Benefit Assessment Form

This is an easy-to-use tool to help play providers balance the benefits of an activity with any inherent risk. It takes the risks into account and also recognises the benefits of challenging play experiences to children and young people.

What is the balancing approach? ›

Used frequently to decide constitutional cases, balancing is one of two main legal decision-making methods, the other being categorization or strict construction. Balancing involves weighing competing rights against each other and analyzing the relative strengths of many factors.

What is the principle of balanced approach? ›

The balanced literacy approach to reading instruction includes teaching phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and reading comprehension. Let's learn more about each of these elements. Phonics is the relationship between letter symbols and the sounds they make.

How to show children to take a balanced approach to risk? ›

The children will enjoy taking risks if they are given the opportunity to follow their interests and to consider their previous experiences. Making a positive contribution – By taking part and playing with other children, children will be given opportunities to share ideas and to listen to the opinions of others.

How to ensure a balance between child initiated and educator supported learning? ›

Set the stage with a rich variety of materials and multiple open-ended provocations that ignite everyone's curiosity and imagination. Then, sprinkle in some structured FUN activities facilitated by adults, providing opportunities for children to develop specific skills and collaborate with their peers.

How to balance positive risk taking? ›

Positive Risk-Taking as Part of the Person-Centred Approach

In this approach, individuals are supported in making choices that align with their goals, even if they involve some level of risk. It emphasises collaboration, empowerment, and learning, fostering a balance between respecting autonomy and ensuring safety.

What is an example of a risk? ›

Risks can be situations beyond your control, such as inclement weather or public health crises, or emerge due to conflict in the workplace. As a business owner or manager, you can conduct risk management to identify potential hazards and develop strategies to resolve the issues before they materialize.

What is positive risk balance? ›

Definition. “Positive risk balance: Benefit of sufficiently mitigating. residual risk of traffic participation due. to automated vehicles [...].

How do you balance risk and opportunity? ›

You can use the 80/20 rule to prioritize your decisions, allocate your resources, and delegate your tasks. By doing so, you can balance risk and opportunity more effectively and efficiently.

What is the risky play approach? ›

Risky play is defined by thrilling and exciting forms of free play that involve uncertainty of outcome and a possibility of physical injury. Proponents of risky play differentiate 'risk' from 'hazard' and seek to reframe perceived risk as an opportunity for situational evaluation and personal development.

What is the risk benefit approach? ›

WHAT IS RISK BENEFIT ASSESSMENT? Risk Benefit Assessment (or sometimes, Analysis) is an approach to risk assessment that focuses not just on the risks of the activity, but on the benefits of the activity.

What is a balanced approach to life? ›

s u The Balanced Approach is a healthy way of living. Its aim is to create your personal balance among physical, emotional, mental and spiritual factors. These factors can play an important role in shaping your overall health.

What is the balance system approach? ›

The Balanced System® for Schools and Settings is a whole system approach to improving outcomes for children and young people across the range of speech, language and communication needs.

Why is a balanced approach the best? ›

A balanced approach provides us with a best-practice model for teaching all students how to read and write across all stages of their education.

What is a balanced reading approach? ›

Balanced literacy is about balancing explicit language instruction with independent learning and language exploration. It aims to strike a balance between both whole language and phonics when learning to read.

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