Incorporating Child Safety Measures in Events

Fairs, carnivals, parades, sports games, markets, and more. There are tons of community events that can be fun traditions for the whole family. However, the hustle and bustle of these events can be stressful for not just parents but can also be overwhelming for children as well. This is why it is so important for family-friendly events to specifically integrate child safety measures into the planning of the event to ensure that the event is fun and safe for attendees of all ages. 

In the article "Integrating child safeguarding into event risk assessment" in eventindustrynews.com, author Thomas Stead, owner of X2Consult, states the importance of recognizing and addressing unique risks children might face during events including their emotional and psychological safety needs. Some of the risks he identified are overcrowding, bright lights, loud noises, exposure to inappropriate content, mixing of adults and children in unsecured areas, dealing with lost or distressed children, and more (Stead, 2024). 

As I scoured the internet, I found tons of tips and tricks for parents to ensure their children's safety at events - advice to prevent and prepare your child in case they get lost. Obviously, parents must prepare their children and themselves for the worst-case scenario. However, if more event organizers can incorporate child safeguarding into the risk assessment and preparation of their events like Stead calls for, then parents and guardians may feel more comfortable with allowing their children to participate and attend the event, thus enhancing the overall appeal and success of your event (Stead, 2024). 

As there was not a lot of advice for event planners on the internet, I have brainstormed some practical ways for event planners and organizers to make their events more child-friendly and combat the risks and concerns raised by Stead in his article: 

Venue

(Shutterstock, 2020)

Event organizers must ensure that the venue is accessible, spacious, clean, and free of any hazards or obstacles. Additionally, event planners should choose a venue with child-friendly amenities such as bathrooms with lowered sinks or step stools for children to reach regular-sized sinks. Venues near a main road, bodies of water, or wildlife should also be avoided. If they cannot be avoided then those areas should be fenced off and made off-limits. It is also crucial for event organizers to ensure that the event space has room for strollers - whether it is on the walkway or stroller parking.  

Registration 

Having a registration process for your event where attendees must sign up or register ahead of time can help event planners prepare for their younger guests specifically. For example: get details on the number of people showing up, their names, ages, contact information, any allergies they may have, special needs, health conditions, etc. In the scenario where a child is lost, you now have a database of information that you can use to keep them safe and calm while you are trying to get in contact with their guardian.

Designated Spaces

Any adult-only spaces (i.e. bar, etc.) should be closed off to ensure that children will not be exposed to inappropriate content or behaviors. Music at all-ages/family-friendly events should also be appropriate for all ages.

If you are hosting a family-friendly event, providing a safe and fun environment for children is essential. Designated areas where children can participate in activities designed for their age groups can enhance the event experience for children and their families. These activities can be taken to the next level when led by professional staff who have been trained to work with children.

(Shutterstock, 2023)

Designated areas can also be used as a safe space for a lost child to calm down and be reunited with their guardians. Oftentimes, a lost child may feel scared, distressed, or even guilty when separated from their family. These designated safe spaces can be enhanced with an activity to distract and keep the child occupied until they are picked up by their guardian.

An additional thing event planners can consider is a nursing area at the event to provide a private and comfortable space for breastfeeding mothers

Protection

(Shutterstock, 2021)

An additional thing that event planners can do that event guests and parents would appreciate is providing ear or eye protection to children if your event has loud noises or bright lights. This added safety measure will ensure that your young guests are safe and protected from hearing and eye damage.

Child-safety Event Logistics

Something to keep in mind when planning a child-friendly event is to have appropriate start and end times. For example: family-friendly events may end earlier in the day to not disrupt a child's sleep schedule, or the event may be shorter in length due to a child's attention span.

All event staff must be properly vetted and trained (i.e. First aid, CPR, background checks, vulnerable person checks, references, etc.) if they are working and interacting with children. It is also crucial for event staff to wear easily identifiable clothing whether that is a staff shirt, high vis vest, security shirt, etc. so that children who may be lost or hurt can easily identify a "safe" adult who can assist them. Event organizers should also have a communication plan in place in case of emergencies and all staff members should be trained for the plan (i.e. who do report to when a child is hurt or lost, what to say in the PA system when a child is lost, etc.) 

Event organizers can also consider providing families with children's special event wristbands that can help with identification and verification when a child is lost. This practice has been used in many different events including the GardaWorld’s Event Security team. These wristbands are given to parents at the entrance of an event site. They can then write down their phone number on the wristband and attach it to their child, so if they were to get lost, the parent can be contacted right away (GardaWorld, 2018).

Pre-event Communication with Parents and Guardians

Event organizers can also provide clear information, safety tips and measures, emergency procedures, and points of contact to attendees before the event takes place. 

One safety tip commonly provided to parents includes taking a photo of your child and with your child before the event as it can be helpful to have a photo of exactly what your child is wearing during the event if they were to become lost. 

I found a YouTube video by Life in the Mundane, a mom who was taking her 6 kids to an event and she used the photo tip (taking a picture of your children before your event). She also had some great additional practices to help her children stay safe including putting them in matching outfits. A tip I found super interesting was when she advised her children to approach another mom with kids if they were to get lost. 

(Life in the Mundane, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfMgspRxork)

Event planners and organizers need to consider their audience, and what safety measures they can implement to make their events more appealing for families and children. Although there are ton of advice for parents online, there is a lack of easily accessible research and advice for event organizers regarding child safeguarding at events - something that can be changed through collaboration and partnership with childcare educators and child welfare experts. As mentioned by Stead, by prioritizing child safety in the planning process of the event, organizers can increase their event's success and better their reputation (Stead, 2024), as they ensure that all guests, regardless of their age, can engage and enjoy the event.

References:

GardaWorld. (2018, August 30). Security bracelets: A simple solution for keeping kids safer at large events.  https://www.garda.com/blog/security-bracelets-a-simple-solution-for-keeping-kids-safer-at-large-events

Life in the Mundane. (2018). Keeping Your Kids Safe in Large Crowds. Youtube. Retrieved February 17, 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfMgspRxork.

Shutterstock. (2020). [Photograph of a little girl washing her hands in a child-sized sink]. Retrieved February 17, 2024. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/pupil-wash-her-hands-following-instructions-1801958359 

Shutterstock. (2021). [Photograph of a baby on a blanket on the ground wearing ear protection headphones]. Retrieved February 17, 2024, from https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/baby-on-blanket-ear-muffs-1895234092

Shutterstick. (2023). [Photograph of a boy playing with blocks with an early childhood educator]. Retrieved February 17, 2024, from https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cute-little-african-child-plays-colorful-2318336125

Stead, T. (2024, January 17). Integrating child safeguarding into event risk assessment. Event Industry News. https://www.eventindustrynews.com/guest-blogs/integrating-child-safeguarding-into-event-risk-assessment