ABSTRACT
In our current society risk is understood as something that must be regulated, evaluated, managed or even removed, in favour of children’s protection and security. The centrality of risky play as an important trigger for children’s development is often ignored, with a strong risk avoidance approach, which supports a culture of fear in what concerns the safety of the youngest child (Gill 2010; RoSPA 2016). In this chapter we define what we mean by risk, look at the research associated with risk and finally share some examples of children approaching risky situations and overcoming them. The role of the adult as well as the dilemmas they could face are considered.
