3 min read
It began as any other ordinary day; I packed my children off to school, then rushed to work.
My eight-year-old was going on a school trip and I thought nothing of it, besides to wish him a fun day out with his friends.
By the time I reached the office, news had broken of a group of Jewish schoolchildren who were recovered during a major rescue operation while on a visit to the Kent coast. Fortunately those involved are safe and well, but it could have turned out very differently, according to an emergency worker at the scene.
The Charedi teenagers were not adequately prepared, nor did their leaders pay heed to the nine warning signs that they passed en route. As far as health and safety are concerned, the organisation of this half term outing left much to be desired. Nevertheless the incident raises questions for parents in general.
I have a friend who would rather keep her children at home than send them on an outing without her. Diligent as the teachers may be, she is certain they will not measure up to her own exacting standards.
Should we cancel summer camp out of fear?
My attitude is more laid back. Yet thinking about my son that day, I could not help but wonder about what might have gone wrong as he and 59 peers travelled to central London on the Underground. Would the teachers and volunteer parents truly be able to ensure that every one of these youngsters safely made it to and from the Museum of London?
Trips run by schools and youth clubs can enhance the social, personal and emotional development of children and extra stimulation in new environments can teach them life skills and improve independence.
As soon as you enlist your child in formal education, you lose some control over their safety and well-being. For several hours each day, teachers and school staff are responsible for keeping our offspring out of harm's way. But are the risks heightened when children venture beyond the confines of the school gates?
Besides the obvious security issues facing Jewish schools, there are the everyday safety concerns. How do teachers control groups of over-excited youngsters while out in the big wide world? Accidents can happen anywhere, but surely they are more likely in unfamiliar surroundings.
The law does not dictate the ratio of staff to pupils on school trips, though schools are required to ensure the health and safety of those involved "so far as is reasonably practicable". According to guidance published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), those planning trips should carry out risk assessments, taking into account the activity to be undertaken and the age and maturity of the pupils.
With the summer holidays fast approaching, this is an obvious issue for the many Jewish youth clubs and movements who run camps and trips both here and overseas for children and teenagers. Among them will be my eldest son. While not yet old enough for Israel tour, he will travel to Belgium with a leading youth movement.
I consider myself no more anxious than the average Jewish parent, give or take a sleepless night or two. But I must admit to feeling nervous, particularly given recent events in Brussels.
Despite repeated attempts by my far calmer husband to allay my fears, I eventually contacted the organisers. Is there a Plan B? Is it too late to pull out?
The youth leader assured me that they are closely monitoring the situation and are confident the trip will proceed. The guides, he said, are highly experienced and security is of the utmost importance. He was so confident of the camp's organisation, that he suggested my son would be safer there in rural Belgium, than on a staycation in big, bustling London.
We were given the option to cancel, but ultimately stuck with the plan. Should we have acted out of fear of a hypothetical situation? If so, how could we justify celebrating his bar mitzvah in volatile Jerusalem later this year? And what of his daily commute to school, which involves travelling by public transport to one of London's edgier neighbourhoods?
Raising children is all about letting go and arming them with the skills they need to find their way in the big wide world. There will of course be uncertainty during this process, but are the risks of going away with their peers any greater than on a family trip? Given the level of pre-planning and risk assessments that go into most organised trips today – especially to Israel - the answer must surely be no.
Ultimately, I know my son will have a fantastic experience and that the benefits of the trip will far outweigh the perceived risks. Even if I do gain a few extra grey hairs by September.
