[mojocafa]

One of the reasons I have animals is to aid my work with children. I work with children that have behavioural problems, learning difficulties, special needs, providing a "pet therapy". The difference the animals make to there lives is immense .  2 of the children I am currently working with at the moment are gaining so much from the experience , that it has enabled them to stay out of residential care.

The local authority have asked me to provide a pet risk assessment. So I was wondering if you could give me some of your valued experience on the risks you have come across with regards to poo, infection, and self protection. ( I noticed on another thread about pregnany and sheep, does this apply to goats too).

All suggestions will be much appreciated from the very serious to the ridiculous.

I have pygmys,  all horned
I have soay, horned too
Various chickens and cockerels and ducks
3 German Shepard dogs, which because there is 3, I have been advised by local authority, that means they are a pack!

Thank you in advance , mojo

[happygolucky]

I have worked a lot with learning difficulties children and adults and some with very challenging behaviour.
I would provide wash facilities with that sterile hand wash and paper towels for a start.
Remove any tools or ladders from the area children and carers are going to be, my bad experiences when people do not put tools out of the way
All animals pose a big risk, especially when they carry weapons, the children may also pose a risk to the animals, kicking, biting and hitting are common and also shouting or screaming can upset or over excite animals.
I am not sure of  your set up but, any child visiting would need 1 -1, some maybe 2-1, I have worked 2-1 and its been needed for safety.
Secure area where the child is not going to trap fingers or run onto a road or thorn bushes and maybe introduce just one dog rather than all 3 at once, unless they are fences off and only watch.....now I am sure I will think of a risk assessment but with children and adults with behaviour issues, what can happen will..
Being knocked over
Bitten
Trod on
Squashed
a lovely thing to do though, I worked with a very scary boy who the psychologist suggested we treat like a puppy and it actualy worked, good boy etc and a high quiet voice!!

[henchard]

Download this and amend to suit your circumstances


http://www.farmsforschools.org.uk/ffsinformation/RiskAssessmentForm.doc

[happygolucky]

   I took one boy to a school and the garden equiptment was left out, he ran, picked up the garden fork and ran after all us staff, luckily I had a long thick skirt so the fork prongs bonced off my skirt, then another time a young autistic lad had a thing for ladders, he also ran off up a ladder, took me ages to get him down, I had to get into the car and  honk my horn as he had a thing about car  horns too. Another incident was 3 staff, 3 young autistic young people, one found a box of matches and started trying to set fire to rubbish, he would run off is shouted at so we all went a bit low key to get them off him, while doing that, a lad in his safety helment ran off after a small dog, (never saw him run as fast before) another took his trousers down and did a big pile of poo under the children's swings...this all happened at the same time, sort of funny too!!

[doganjo]

Risk assessments are universal - does what it says on the tin. Doesn't matter if it's the risk of animals to kids or risk of walking across a busy street. We all mentally risk assess everything we do as we go through life.  This is just a case of collating and putting those thoughts on paper.  The fact that it is with kids just makes it more contentious, and to be honest emotion must be left totally out of it.  It must be a very practical assessment.

What you need to do is make a list of each type of animal; what the risks are to anyone being near each animal and what is done to alleviate that risk.

I do a RA for every event I organise.  I need to change the RA for different venues as there are associated risks on each ground.  All organisations covered by insurance are usually asked to provide these.  We have shooting and non shooting days and these have different RAs.

Sandy's first post has some good recommendations and look what just popped up in the adverts - https://www.safety-adviser.co.uk/risk-assessment/

[happygolucky]

What can happen will happen..............how often do we tell ourself "now do not climb up on the chair as its  not safe?" or, "better not cut across that rough ground" or  I will charge my phone later and put petrol in the car later.......I only need my mobile when its dead!!

[shygirl]

Ask your insurance  Company for advice. I'm with nfu and they sent me a lot of comprehensive info for risk assessments of horses when we hired them out.

[mojocafa]

Thanks everyone for all this info, very helpful. Sometimes when used to handling animals you get complacent and need to be reminded of the risks.

Did I just say I was complacent