The Actuarial Assessment and Experiential Reality of Risk in Childhood

Abstract

All children face risks in their everyday lives, although some experience more than others. Age, gender, geography and relative disadvantage are among the factors making a difference. Assessing and managing these risks has generated enormous academic interest, political activity, public debate, and emotion, but a major tension has arisen. This is between the actuarial models of risk assessment widely advocated and imposed by agencies including the government, even if prompted by individual instance and public outrage, and experiential models of risk assessment commonly adopted by children and their families. This gives rise to the issue of whether children should be protected at all cost because of the risk from both visible and hidden dangers, or whether they should be exposed to challenge and adventure to allow them to learn to assess and manage risk for themselves. It is unclear whether or not the world is a safer place for children than in the past, and it is apparent that risks constantly change. The challenge is to ensure that young people remain safe while at the same time gaining opportunities to experience excitement and develop their independence.

Parents’ Perceptions of Risk and the Influence on Children’s Everyday Activities

“…Increasingly researchers are sharing concerns regarding children's shrinking opportunities to engage in a broad range of outdoor activities (Malone, 2007;PJ Tranter et al, 2012). Others are highlighting the value of risk as an important part of growing up, and governments are requesting studies to understand children's developmental needs for risk to balance injury prevention with age-appropriate risk opportunities Madge, 2009;Madge & Barker, 2007). Children explore the limits of their physical and emotional bodies , develop social connections with others, and use their imaginations and problem-solving skills in play (Brown & Vaughan, 2009;Siegel, 2012;.…”

The risk of being researched: Re-envisioning educator research participation for high-quality early childhood education

“…A specially designed risk indicator checklist based on risk literature (e.g. Gill, 2007; Little, 2010; Madge & Barker, 2007) was used to assess website content that indicated risk-taking was accepted, valued or promoted in the site. The three selected sites ranked highly on the risk indicator checklist.…”

The Children Are Listening

“…Perceptions of risk have, no doubt, influenced the possibilities afforded to young people (Madge, 2009). Whereas children were once free to explore their environments and were aware of, and possibly subjected to, the existence of all types of social ill (Nimmo, 2008), parents are more likely now to shield their children from exploration and news of adverse events.…”