Children and Safety on allotments

[Squash63]

Some plotholders bring their children with them to the site and this is not a problem if they stay on their parents' plot.  Recently we have had complaints about a little boy (aged about 6 or 7) who rides his bike around the site.  He does keep to the roadways but cannot always be seen by people driving to their plots.  What is the best way to deal with this?  If we speak to the parents and say we are worried about his safety they may say that he is careful and won't come to any harm.  Are there any regulations about children on allotment sites that we could mention to them? Or any other suggestions?
Thanks,

Betty

[Squash63]

[PurpleHeather]

The owner of the site should have rules (for H&S) and should have done a 'risk assessment' too.

If you are self managed. You should have your own rules, made by yourselves.

The Secretary of the association or owner of the site could be sent a letter explaining your concerns, they may not be aware of the situation.

For advice contact your council's 'Health and Safety Executive'. 

[Trevor_D]

There should be something in the tenancy agreement, or Terms & Conditions, or whatever members have to sign, making it clear that the member is responsible for the behaviour of any 'guest' brought onto the site, whether they be children or adults. It's nothing to do with age; it's the behaviour. If an adult cycled around the paths dangerously, folk would complain. Is he a danger? Or just using up excess energy? But I'd certainly point out to the parents that a) some plotholders had expressed concern, and b) he might have or cause an accident, and it's their responsibility, not yours.

[Fork]

Children should not be allowed to roam about the site.They should be with the parents/guardian at all times.

Far too many hazards around.

[betula]

I agree ,love to see the kids but after having my onion bed ran over by a child I wish mums and dads would watch them more closely :)

[ACE]

If I ever take a child to the allotment, I hope other people would tell me if he is in danger. You can't watch them all the time. Mine always kept to my plot and paths and would only be allowed around the allotments if I was with them. (having a nose).

If you tie them to a stout post, they do make jolly good gallybaggers.

[Squash63]

Thank you very much to everyone who replied to my question yesterday. 

We have decided to have a word with the child's parents, explaining that there are many hazards on the site and we do not want the little boy to be injured.  We have also made notices saying that children must be supervised at all times and must stay on the plot and not wander off.  We will laminate the notices and display them around the site.

Thanks again,
Betty

[Peapods]

Maybe it hadnt occured to them that he was in danger on the road and that the cars couldnt see him because he sticks to the roadways
As a mum myself of a 8yo energy laden rugrat Id be grateful if someone pointed this out to me
So I think having a word with the parents is a good way to go

[Borlotti]

Children do get bored on allotments but he certainly should NOT be riding a bike where cars drive.  He should be taken to the park.  At my allotment one set of parents put up a play tent for their little boy on their allotment and he sits in it and eats sandwiches.  They take the tent home with them and it keeps him amused and he loves it.  My grandchildren find my allotment boring and after I was chased round the allotment after digging up a wasps nest take them to the park because they always want to play football which is not a good idea, and they only visit the allotment for a short time and then I cannot really work as I have to watch them.  When I have work to do all day I go alone.  One lady who has just taken on an allotment had a baby last week and she will be bringing her baby up (can't wait to see it) but it will be asleep (hopefully) in a pram.

[shirlton]

We have a notice up about children staying with their parents on their own plot. Our daughter Tracy has 3 little ones and the first thing they were taught was to stay on their own plot. and to walk only on the paths. I have 2 plots next to her so I made quite sure that they were taught to respect the allotment site. We have enough of a problem with the bloomin pidgeons, magpies and young foxes without the kids tramping all over the plots. Some of the parents on our site seem half soaked when it comes to keeping an eye on their kids. I think its a case of giving everyone a reminder now and again that kids are the responsibility of their parents.

[Robert_Brenchley]

When we have kids on the site they usually end up playing all round the lane. We've had several families, and there has never been a problem with any of them. Why can't the kid on the bike be seen? We have a strict 10mph limit on the site; are they driving too fast? If they can't see, surely they need to slow down.

[Squash63]

We do have a 5mph speed limit on the site and people generally stick to it.  It isn't the speed of the cars that causes the problem, it's the fact that there are hedges at the side of the roadways and lots of corners which means it would be difficult to see small children on bikes.
Betty

[djbrenton]

One of the other problems on hedged sites is that you may not hear a bike when you step out of your gate.

[antipodes]

yes I agree it is hard to keep an eye on them. At teh same time how will they learn to appreciate veg etc and see how it grows if they are not allowed onteh site?
My little one (7) wanders around chatting to everyone, she "helps " the neighbours when they pick things. Or I give her a few sticks and stones and an unoccupied corner and she potters around in it.
But It is a bit boring for them sometimes, that's true. You just need to explain to them that many things are dangerous and not to pick things from people's plots or touch anything that isn't ours.

[Old bird]

Antipodes

yes I agree it is hard to keep an eye on them. At teh same time how will they learn to appreciate veg etc and see how it grows if they are not allowed onteh site?
My little one (7) wanders around chatting to everyone, she "helps " the neighbours when they pick things.

Sounds like you have all the "help you need"!  But if other people bring their children up to the lotties to "ride their bikes" then they are not going to learn to appreciate veg and see how it grown though are they!

I think that children do have a very low boredom threshold and I can well imagine that visiting the lottie is certainly not one of their "pleasures"  There is precious little for them to do - and - antipodes - with the best will in the world someone else's child "helping and chatting to me" is the last thing in the world that I need! 

Some people love having children around put others up with it to be "polite" but to me small children - although sweet and lovely etc - are a pain in the butt when parents let them loose to "help" others! 

Antipodes - I am not taking a "pop" at you and your child - I am talking generally!

Old Bird

;D

[manicscousers]

with us it's dogs  ::)

[Squash63]

We don't want to stop children coming to the site - we want them to stop riding bikes all around it.  It's good that children see how things grow and even have a little patch of their own to look after but they need to be safe and this can't happen if they are riding all over the site on their bikes.
Betty

[cliffe.kent]

just a thought why are cars on site?

[daileg]

i have a reply for you squash if we do not allow the children on site how are we to hand down the knowledge how will they ever learn or do we become a society of non cooking people who rely on micowaves for there nutrition . what happens to all the allotments when there is no one to take over them . ?

yes i agree children should be supervised at all times and not allowed to ride on bikes be conciderate for fellow plot holders and not be a place for parents to allow them to get on with it while they do what they need .

[springbok]

My ex father in law's family had an allotment for 4 generations.

The children were allowed to be there, it was a family thing.  The old apple tree with a tyre as a swing is still there to this day for the kids!!

Bikes I agree are a no no.  But I think its the parents who need to educate children today to respect other peoples property!!