New to risk assessments

Hello everyone,

I'm new to this site (first post!) and I'm having my pre reg visit on the 3rd March. I'm worried about risk assessments especially in the garden as we have a few concrete steps (garden is on 3 levels). I'm worried about what the inspector will say as I wont be able to hand hold each child up and down the stairs. Have any of you got gardens like this and what have you put in place to make things easier? I will only have 2 EYFS age children at any one time.

Many thanks in advance xxx

You have lots of options: you can teach children not to go up the steps... always supervise in the garden... you can put a row of big flower pots/tubs to block off the steps.

There is no right/wrong, it all depends on your particular garden layout and your children (and every inspector will have their own opinion too!).

Pre-reg is an opportunity for you to ask questions too- no problem for you to ask inspector's opinion, or at least explain your RA and see what they say.

A lot depends on the abilities and character of each child- some steer clear of steps anyway and are naturally cautious, some learn quickly and will find their own step-technique, a crawler might like the challenge of crawling up and going down backwards, a confident walker might manage the steps fine... so no fits-all solution!

Have you got young children of your own (or did you live at this house when your children were younger), how did they manage the steps, how did you help them with the steps, do you have to use the top tier of your garden, could you get a barrier (or stair gate) to prevent unsupervised access? Maybe you could have an outside play pen on the top tier, carry up a toddler and put in play pen while you go back for another child - I believe a Nursery near me uses something similar to supervise children while others are carrying babies down stairs to garden.

Could you put a lower down stair rail to help children, maybe clad the steps with a rubber cushioned tile to prevent slips or minimise injury if child does fall - you can't wrap them in cotton wool and the Health & Safety Executive doesn't expect you to, the whole point of risk assessing is to be aware of the risks so you can minimise them. We all know that people die in car accidents but it doesn't stop us driving them!