Influencing factors on professional attributes towards risk-taking in children's play: a narrative review

Early childhood educator perceptions of risky play in an outdoor loose parts intervention

“…Outdoor play lends itself to more risky and adventurous play [13] . Children today spend less time outdoors than their parents did, and more time in institutions and structured activities [1] , [17] . Concerns about safety have limited children's access to risky outdoor play and independent mobility [18] , [19] .…”

“…Due to increased emphasis on both safety and school readiness, many early years programs are focusing more on structured activities, and educators are acknowledging ideas around risky play are shifting and evolving [11] , [21] . While early learning environments have been identified as particularly important contexts for children to be able to learn about and engage with risk, navigating risky play in these environments is a complex and multi-faceted issue [11] , [12] , [14] , [17] , [22] , [23] . Research exploring educators' perceptions of risky play suggests that early childhood educators recognize the importance of, but identify barriers, including their understanding of safety, regulations, accountability, and potential litigation, with educators in identified less-litigious contexts being more open to risky play [12] , [15] , [16] , [22] – [26] .…”

“…Ecological approaches, or those that situate health across the context of complex, multi-level environments, from the micro to the macro level, are often employed in health promotion research, particularly in relation to physical activity [42] – [46] . Van Rooijen and Newstead (2017), drew upon ecological approaches to explore factors influencing professional attitudes toward risk-taking in childhood play [17] . They developed a model represented by concentric circles, with the practitioner centered, surrounded by increasingly larger levels of influence [17] .…”

“…Van Rooijen and Newstead (2017), drew upon ecological approaches to explore factors influencing professional attitudes toward risk-taking in childhood play [17] . They developed a model represented by concentric circles, with the practitioner centered, surrounded by increasingly larger levels of influence [17] . Their model includes how children are constructed (for example, as vulnerable and in need of protection); professionals' attitudes, beliefs, and values regarding risk; relationships with parents (requiring collaboration, trust, and communication); regulatory factors like playground restrictions, accountability, and liability; and finally broader cultural factors, including social, political, and environmental concerns [17] .…”

“…They developed a model represented by concentric circles, with the practitioner centered, surrounded by increasingly larger levels of influence [17] . Their model includes how children are constructed (for example, as vulnerable and in need of protection); professionals' attitudes, beliefs, and values regarding risk; relationships with parents (requiring collaboration, trust, and communication); regulatory factors like playground restrictions, accountability, and liability; and finally broader cultural factors, including social, political, and environmental concerns [17] . They assert the complex interaction and interdependence of these factors results in significant ongoing conflict, negotiation, and contradictions experienced by childhood practitioners, and suggest future research is warranted to further explore their perspectives [17] .…”