More than 35 years ago the film War Games showcased what can happen when young teenagers have no after school supervision. Parents expect children of every age to get supervised while in school. Yet sometimes instances of negligent supervision cause some young people to get harmed.
A supervisor should demonstrate a recognized level of wisdom. Supervisors are supposed to help those children that have not yet learned how to make smart decisions. Hence, a supervisor’s failure to guide young people properly can result in injury to one or more of the poorly-guided youth.
Factors that determine the adequacy of the available supervision
The age of the children being supervised: Younger boys and girls demand a stricter form of direction.
The nature of the activity: Young people on a playground require more oversight than those in a classroom. Within the past 20 years, increased attention has been given to oversight of students engaged in a service-learning project. Indeed, some parents have questioned the level of wisdom demonstrated by those supervising such projects.
The experience level of those supervised: If students must tackle a new skill, especially one that calls for utilizing a new tool, that same group of students needs a good supervisor.
Factors beyond the supervisor’s control: During an emergency, young people count on the supervisor’s directions, as they struggle to deal with the situation. In any new situation, children rely on the help of an adult or teenager.
How supervisors can minimize threats to children:
By putting a stop to bullying.
By making sure that no child gets abused by a teen or an adult.
By eliminating any threats or dangers. Trained supervisors have no trouble recognizing the threats and dangers in familiar situations. Any adult must use observation and care, when asked to supervise young people in a new and unfamiliar situation. That fact highlights the reason for parents’ concern, regarding how students gets supervised, while taking part in service-learning projects.
Why can it be hard to identify a threat or danger during the course of a service-learning project?
The act of learning is normally associated with a classroom, a quiet setting. When a student gets asked to learn while performing a service, attention must be paid to both the information conveyed to the student and the chances that the setting could contain some element of danger.
Parents indicate that supervisors tend to overlook some potential dangers. It can be hard to locate a threat to young people in a setting where adults feel comfortable working to serve others. That fact underscores the reason that it becomes hard to assess the level of threats in the location of, or in the nature of a service-learning project. If your child has been injured due to negligent supervision, it is time to hire the services of a personal injury lawyer in Burlington.
