Professor of Risk Management at Middlesex University Martin Ball addressed a seminar held in South Gloucestershire on March 8th 2007, on the subject on risk in play.
 

His talk demonstrated how the Law, and Health and Safety Executive Guidance, supports the principle of the responsibility of adults to provide challenging environments and appropriate opportunities for risk taking.
 

Adoption of a play policy was stressed as an important way to demonstrate the 'social utility' of play, which was then to be balanced with, the risk of death or serious injury and the principle of making risk 'A.L.A.R.P'. (As Low as Reasonably Practicable).

 

Professor Ball concluded that it was not our duty to prevent all accidents, and that children were suffering from a loss of many of the benefits of play, as a result of adult's over protective response to risk, considering the probable severity or likelihood of occurrence of harm.
 

The message was backed up by ROSPA inspector Roger Davis in his presentation 'As Safe as Necessary'.

 

South Gloucestershire now has a clear policy in relation to risk and challenge in play which is states: