ABSTRACT
Risk and resilience
This chapter defines the terms risk and resilience and explores the relationship between them. It explains how to strike a balance between risk and challenge that can support children’s development of resilience and purports that adopting a risk-averse culture may be damaging to children’s development, their resilience and well-being. The factors influencing an individual’s resilience are discussed, alongside the set of skills involved that children need to learn. The conclusion is reached that the key to becoming resilient is knowing how to take risks successfully.
The author reminds us that children’s future outcomes can be significantly influenced by the adults involved in their lives, and this is demonstrated in all the chapter’s case studies. She concludes that relationships and trust are fundamental to supporting children in managing risks, overcoming adversity and developing the skills required to become resilient.
