CYP 3.4 - 1.1 DESCRIBE FACTORS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN PLANNING HEALTH AND SAFETY INDOOR AND OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

TASK 1
CYP 3.4 -1.1

DESCRIBE THE FACTORS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN PLANNING HEALTHY AND SAFE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Health and safety factors will change significantly for children and young people depending on age range and ability.
Factors to be taken into account when planning an indoor activity are:
AGE AND ABILITY OF CHILDREN
• From birth to crawling babies will have many stages of development and these will need to be adapted according to age.
• Babies up to 4-5 months will need stimulating with soft toys, bright and noisy toys, and also need constant supervision. They will be rolling from side to side so safety bars on changing units so to avoid rolling off and injury. They will need more personal interaction, talking, singing and comforting.
• From 6 months they will like to grab at toys, within close proximity as they will be starting to sit. They will need toys to encourage mobility eg: low level equipment, walking aid trucks, toys that have different textures and sounds, toys to encourage hand grasping and co-ordination, mega blocks. They will need soft surface play areas, as to avoid injury from falling within these activities. They will also need constant supervision as they are very curious and may pick up things and put in their mouths, so risking choking.
• 2 to 5 year olds will be a lot more mobile and active. They will require their natural curiosity and imagination to be nurtured. Eg: painting easels, small world, water play, cars and trains, role play toys and dressing up areas. Indoor physical play areas including climbing frames and bikes , if space allows. The area surrounding the climbing frame will require adequate soft flooring and or soft mats to avoid injury , supervision in these areas must be in place at all times. Numeracy areas which include counting aids, and visual aids. A book and reading space with soft furnishings so that the children can sit and look at the books.
• 5 to 11 year olds are a lot more independent and do not require as much supervision. They will be more focused and so indoor physical games eg: treasure hunts, obstacle course, games that require teams and teamwork. If using trampolines or any equipment that is raised adequate flooring or mats around area required to avoid injury. Creative and artistic areas, using all kinds of materials, paints soft textiles, to encourage creativity and imagination. Books and reading areas, quiet areas.
• 11 to 19 year olds will be independent and again require less one to one supervision. Team building games, games with purpose and encouragement, to build trust and confidence in themselves and each other. Eg: minefield , trust fall etc. Creative activities, providing materials to allow imagination and creativity. Board games, books and computer games age appropriate. Physical games eg: table tennis, badminton if space allows.

Changes required and different circumstances when activities taken outside or different environments involved
• Factors involved when taking the above or other activities outside to other environments will require some different practices and individual needs eg; appropriate footwear eg: wellies, trainers for planned activity. Hats for sun or rainy conditions, sunscreen, insect repellent all to be provided by parents
• Encourage continuous use of hand washing facilities and provide adequate soap and paper towels for this purpose to limit cross contamination of toys, games equipment etc.
• If taking children to a different location ratios of adults to children requires to change accordingly 0-2 year olds 1 adult to 3 children / 2-3 year olds 1 adult to 4 children /4-8 year olds 1 adult 6 children / 9-12 year olds 1 adult to 8 children / 13 and above 1 adult to 10 children.
• Risk assessments must be made before visiting any new areas, road safety rules explained and supervision within ratios at all times.
• First aid kit and mobile phone must be taken on any trip/ list of necessary phone numbers and contacts also to be at hand. In certain cases any medication needed for specific children eg inhalers or insulin if required.
• Older children must be encouraged not to wander off, but to stay close at all times.
• Encourage children and young adults to assess and manage risks eg; road safety, dog fouling, protruding bushes and nettles. For older children and young adults the dangers of climbing trees, going near water eg. Risks of drowning, water pollution which may cause stomach upset, or skin irritations.
• Parents and carers must be notified of where trip is going to be taken to and any relevant information given that they will require eg: phone numbers, collection place and times, purpose and activities of trip.
SENSORY IMPAIRMENTS
• For indoor activities good lighting will be needed
• Children or young adults may need to be hand led, and guided through obstacles and if this is the case they will need carer a to talk them through the activities clearly so as to instill confidence if they are visually impaired. For smaller children you need to be at their level and also relay textures, colours and feel of activities you are engaging in. Relaying this information is also very important to older children and young adults. If you are outside you should relay colours of your environment trees etc. If their hearing is impaired a carer must talk clearly and slowly to ensure the child understands and can contribute to the activity.
• Specific risks to individuals such as pregnancy should be taken into account in distribution of work tasks if one of the staff is pregnant eg: the lifting or moving of heavy objects of play equipment, picking up or carrying of babies or toddlers, and older children.
• If an activity is in an area where there are farm animals where risk could occur in touching them or any by product of these animals, this should be assessed and action taken to avoid any risk. Encourage children stay a safe distance from the animals in question, and monitor this to make sure it is adhered to. Carry antibacterial wipes or gel, so they can be used to keep hands germ free if it is not possible to follow through completely .

NEEDS OF FAMILIES AND CARERS
• Young children should be greeted at a setting after they have been signed in by a parent
• Collection times should be pre arranged, and if in the case of younger children, if parent or regular carer is not available to pick up, a nominated carer must provide pre agreed password, older children should also be collected by appropriate adult or carer , at appropriate time if activity is Cubs or Brownies
• Parents of young adults should be informed of start and finish time of activity eg Scouts, Guides or Youth Clubs
• Sun creams, adequate indoor /outdoor clothing, hats etc to be provided by parent or carer
• Adequate entrance and exit facilities must be provided eg: in the case of disabled people or parents with prams ramps or disabled entrances must be available, door widths must if possible be large enough for wheelchair access, lifts also if disabled or weaker children/adults or prams need access to higher floors.
• safety rails on steps or stairs into facility, for children to go up and down safely, also for children/adults who may not be competent enough with stairs to climb freely.
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FUNCTION AND PURPOSE OF ENVIROMENT
• The function and purpose of all environments indoors and outdoors should to encourage creativity and confidence to explore new situations and experiences.
• The freedom to explore new experiences to assess risk and learn to manage situations, or to encourage child or young person to ask for help where required
• For babies and toddlers to promote a warm secure environment for them , to be able to be left by their parents with confidence.
• For teenagers and young adults to encourage teamwork, confidence and support within their peer groups

THE DUTY OF CARE
• Duty of care is to watch and secure children’s safety at all times
• In a small play group or nursery setting to make sure play areas are free of littered toys, toys that may have been thrown out of their specific areas during the course of play , so as to avoid accident or injury
• To encourage children to walk slowly not to run, because to run may cause them to trip and fall, crash into somebody else, or something else which may cause injury or upset.
• To keep spillages eg: sand, water, rice to a minimum and to clean such spillages as soon as they occur, wet floors must be cleaned immediately, and appropriate warning sign displayed to alert a damp floor.
• For older children and young adults to promote an environment where they feel safe and secure, where they can talk to their peers or appropriate adult if they have any concerns or worries eg: about bullying, drugs, alcohol . To support and advise on sex or relationship worries.
• To enable them to assess risk and to allow them the freedom to explores certain risks in a controlled environment and teach them how to manage outcomes of those risks. This can be done by discussing those risks, and encouraging the children to talk through how they can be avoided.

DESIRED OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
EYFS DESIRED OUTCOMES FOR EVERY CHILD ARE AS FOLLOWS
1. staying safe
2. Being healthy
3. Enjoying and achieving
4. Making a positive contribution
5. Achieving economic wellbeing
In our playgroup staff regard the health and safety of each child with the utmost of importance.
We ensure the equipment inside and outside is safe and fit for purpose before each session.
Free play is encouraged throughout, the playgroup is set out in different areas of play and children are able to access all of those areas safely.
Staffing and children ratios are always correct taking into account amount of children within the setting and their ages on any particular day. The staffing numbers are set by these amounts of children registered each day.
Trips and outings have parents/carers prior consent, and adequate risk assessments are don’t prior to trip taking place.

Personal hygiene, hand washing and importance of cleanliness is promoted. Healthy snacks are provided each day, taking into account any religious or allergy issues within the children at the setting. Milk and water is provided at snack time, and water is freely available throughout the session.

Children are observed and their achievements recorded and documented weekly and next steps are being worked on and encouraged, by not only their key workers, but the other staff in the setting due to the fact that they are highlighted and placed on the planning notice board in the setting, which is regularly viewed by each members of staff. Children are encouraged to develop at their own pace, and are enabled to do so by a wide range of activities.

Children are encouraged to make positive contributions within the playgroup, by playing alongside their peers and sharing their experiences within the play group and from their home life. By treating their peers with kindness and consideration. We encourage children to initiate and play and make decisions within that play to develop their own ideas. We work together on events such as coffee mornings and fund raising making things to sell at these events, and encouraging the children to participate in singing songs and acting out themes on these occasions.

To encourage economic well being, in our children at nursery age, we offer children a wide range of role play. We explore different professions eg: Doctors, Nurses, Dentist, postmen/women, Fire men/women. We have visits to the setting from many of these professions to explain to the children what their job and role in society involves.

Our aims to encourage these outcomes are:

• To encourage confidence
• To try different activities within the child’s/young adults abilities
• To encourage children/young adults to say if they need help
• To make children and young adults aware of importance of physical exercise in maintaining good health
• To help smaller children and babies to encourage control, and coordination in smaller and larger movements
• To handle equipment and tools effectively and safely, to help with fine manipulation skills, and gross motor skills.
• To play co-operatively with other children/as with young adults to interact co-operatively with their peers
• To work and play /socialise within a group relevant to the group’s ages
• For older children and young adults to assess and manage different situations effectively
• To give them the relevant information to make informed decisions
• Most activities should have clear aims and objectives that are based around desired