When Should Aggressive Behaviour Trigger a Health and Safety Risk Assessment?

Children in early childhood education are still learning how to regulate their emotions and communicate their needs. It is not unusual for young children to occasionally hit, bite, kick, or throw objects when they are frustrated or overwhelmed.

However, there comes a point where aggressive behaviour moves beyond a behavioural or educational concern and becomes a workplace health and safety risk.

Knowing when to complete a formal health and safety risk assessment helps protect educators, support children, and ensure centres are meeting their legal duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

Behaviour vs Health and Safety Risk

Not every instance of challenging behaviour requires a formal risk assessment. Occasional, low-level incidents that are well managed through normal supervision and behaviour guidance strategies are typically addressed within day-to-day practice.

However, a health and safety risk assessment should be considered when:

• The behaviour poses a foreseeable risk of injury.

• The behaviour is repeated or escalating.

• Existing strategies are not effectively controlling the risk.

• Multiple staff members are affected.

• Other children are being placed at risk.

• The behaviour is impacting staff wellbeing or confidence.

The key question is not “Is this behaviour normal?” but rather “Is anyone being harmed or at risk of harm, and are our current controls enough?”

Clear Triggers for a Risk Assessment

A formal risk assessment should be completed when one or more of the following occurs:

1. Physical Harm Has Occurred

If a child’s behaviour has resulted in injury (to staff or other children), even if minor, this should trigger a review of risk controls.

Examples include:

• Bites that break skin.

• Repeated scratching or hitting.

• Headbutting or kicking incidents.

• Objects being thrown causing injury.

2. Near Misses Are Increasing

Near misses are often early warning signs of a serious incident.

Examples:

• Staff narrowly avoiding being hit.

• Other children having to be moved frequently for safety.

• Incidents occurring more frequently over time.

3. Behaviour Is Escalating in Frequency or Severity

A pattern of increasing intensity or frequency indicates that current strategies may not be effective.

For example:

• Occasional hitting becomes daily incidents.

• Verbal frustration escalates into physical aggression.

• Longer or more intense episodes over time.

4. Multiple Staff Are Unable to Manage the Risk Alone

If safe supervision requires more than one staff member consistently, or if staff are regularly being taken away from other duties, the risk level may be too high for current controls.

5. Current Strategies Are Not Working

If behaviour support plans, environmental changes, or supervision strategies are not reducing incidents, a structured review is required.

6. Staff Feel Unsafe or Lack Confidence

Perception of risk is an important factor in health and safety.

If educators feel unsafe, unsupported, or unsure how to respond, this should be treated as a legitimate safety concern.

What a Risk Assessment Should Include

A proper risk assessment should be practical, not bureaucratic. It should focus on understanding the situation and improving controls.

Key elements include:

Identify the Hazard

The behaviour itself and the context in which it occurs.

Describe the Risk

What could happen? Who could be harmed? How serious could it be?

Identify Patterns

• When does the behaviour occur?

• Are there triggers?

• Are specific environments involved?

Evaluate Current Controls

• Supervision levels.

• Behaviour guidance strategies.

• Environmental design.

• Staffing arrangements.

Determine Additional Controls

Examples include:

• Adjusting routines.

• Increasing supervision during high-risk times.

• Creating safer spaces for de-escalation.

• Seeking external specialist support.

• Reviewing staffing ratios during peak risk periods.

Documentation Matters

Recording incidents consistently helps identify trends and supports decision-making. Good documentation should be factual and include:

• What happened.

• When and where it occurred.

• What was happening before the incident.

• How staff responded.

• What the outcome was.

This information becomes essential when deciding whether risk controls need to change.

The Goal Is Prevention, Not Punishment

A health and safety risk assessment is not about labelling children or assigning blame. It is about understanding risk and creating safer environments for everyone involved.

Children benefit when risks are identified early, because it allows educators to respond more effectively and consistently.

Aggressive behaviour should trigger a health and safety risk assessment when it moves beyond isolated incidents and begins to create ongoing risk to people in the environment.

The earlier risks are identified, the easier they are to manage. Waiting until a serious injury occurs is never the best option.

Supporting Safer Early Childhood Environments

At On To It Health and Safety, we help early childhood centres identify practical risks and implement realistic controls that work in everyday environments. From behaviour-related risk assessments to staff training and incident reviews, we support centres in building safer, more confident teams.