It's important that children trip over occasionally and graze their knees.
Children need to learn how to look after themselves and how to recognise danger. If we prevent our children from encountering dangerous situations, then they will never learn how to keep themselves safe.
Health and Safety officials and their 'extremist', often ridiculous ideas have been criticised by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents [RoSPA]. The charity's chief executive, Tom Mullarkey, said that children's development was being hindered.
'We do not believe in extremist health and safety ideas which would keep children wrapped in cotton wool,' says Mullarkey. 'Our argument is that a skinned knee or a twisted ankle in a challenging and exciting play environment is not just acceptable, it is a positive necessity. We need to prepare our children for a complex, dangerous world in which healthy, robust activity is more a national need than ever before.'
He, along with an increasing number of people working with children, believes strongly that a sense of proportion needs to be found. Officials should be using their powers to ensure that Britain is 'as safe as necessary, not as safe as possible.'
November 2007
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