Risk factors threatening children’s safety in the school environment

Abstract

School safety encompasses risk reduction efforts to ensure that children act in an environment that is safe and promotes the well-being of the students to achieve their full potential. Therefore, a safe and secure environment is a prerequisite for effective teaching and learning. This scoping review aims to address a range of school safety risk factors and introduce the complexity of school safety. School is believed to be a safe learning and growing environment; however, various conditions can threaten children’s safety in a school setting and lead to injuries caused by accidents, risky or/ aggressive behavior, or environmental exposure. In addition to the physical, psychological, and behavioral characteristics of children that make them particularly vulnerable to accidents, there are several unpredictable risks associated with natural or man-made conditions or disasters that can also put children at extreme risk. A balance between safety, surveillance, and emergency preparedness measures may be beneficial to create a safety culture in schools that will enable student behavioral and intervention support.