noble76
08-03-2011, 12:48 PM
Taking time out to assess the potential risks within your setting is a valuable use of your time. Being familiar, as we all are with our homes, can make it hard to spot potential hazards.
Stop and look at your home and garden objectively. Ask yourself what could harm a child while they are here? How can I prevent this from happening? It really is that simple.
Before carrying out your assessment we recommend you read this
encouraging statement from Health and Safety Authority. (http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2007/e07010.htm)The Statutory Framework of Early Years Foundation Stage require this to be noted down, checked and improved upon where you deem necessary.
You are required to assess the potential risks in relation to your
• Home
• Gardens
• Car
• Outings
Your assessment is required to be reviewed at least once a year or as the need arises.
It is the provider’s responsibility to determine if there are any aspects that need to be checked more frequently. This is up to you to use your judgement to assess what these might be and how often you would like to check them.
Once you have carried out your initial assessment decide what, if any, daily and weekly checks you will carry out to ensure you continue to minimise any potential hazards to the children and you.
We have developed The Noble Minder Risk Assessment tool based on the Health and Safety Executives (HSE) advice, the Statutory Frame for the Early Years Foundation Stage and childminders working practices.
We would recommend that you read the HSE guidance Five Steps to Risk Assessment. (http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf) This is a good overview and will help you get to grips with carrying out an assessment.
A grading of the level of potential risk is useful in a much larger organisation where it would take a long period to implement preventions. The company would need to prioritise according to the level of risk. Childminders are generally able to implement preventions more quickly. If there is a delay in implementing your prevention note down what you have already done and what you plan to in the Assessment of Risk Log.
You are the best person to carry out an assessment of the potential risks for all aspects of your childminding business.
Stop and look at your home and garden objectively. Ask yourself what could harm a child while they are here? How can I prevent this from happening? It really is that simple.
Before carrying out your assessment we recommend you read this
encouraging statement from Health and Safety Authority. (http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2007/e07010.htm)The Statutory Framework of Early Years Foundation Stage require this to be noted down, checked and improved upon where you deem necessary.
You are required to assess the potential risks in relation to your
• Home
• Gardens
• Car
• Outings
Your assessment is required to be reviewed at least once a year or as the need arises.
It is the provider’s responsibility to determine if there are any aspects that need to be checked more frequently. This is up to you to use your judgement to assess what these might be and how often you would like to check them.
Once you have carried out your initial assessment decide what, if any, daily and weekly checks you will carry out to ensure you continue to minimise any potential hazards to the children and you.
We have developed The Noble Minder Risk Assessment tool based on the Health and Safety Executives (HSE) advice, the Statutory Frame for the Early Years Foundation Stage and childminders working practices.
We would recommend that you read the HSE guidance Five Steps to Risk Assessment. (http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf) This is a good overview and will help you get to grips with carrying out an assessment.
A grading of the level of potential risk is useful in a much larger organisation where it would take a long period to implement preventions. The company would need to prioritise according to the level of risk. Childminders are generally able to implement preventions more quickly. If there is a delay in implementing your prevention note down what you have already done and what you plan to in the Assessment of Risk Log.
You are the best person to carry out an assessment of the potential risks for all aspects of your childminding business.