In almost two decades of being in childcare education, I have not come across a child having torn earlobe from participating in physical education in the UK. The aim of covering this topic is to bring a balance equation from both a professional and parent perspective. At the time of writing this, my research found no reported incident or accidents on pupils from wearing earrings or studs during physical activity or swimming. I will be glad to be proven wrong, with evidence based on real ratio. Phrases such as ‘Serious accidents have occurred as a result of contact between pupils wearing earrings or studs’ are included in school policies and educational establishments., however, no real evidence to prove this. It bothers me that the same public swimming pool is the same pool children’s school activity takes place, however, the public is not told to take off their earring before swimming, just a thought. In a nursery school setting, such policies are understandable as one toddler may pull other toddlers earring, which can result to torn earlobe. However, in a UK primary school, a more realistic explanation should be provided as to why children are being instructed not to wear stud earring.
The Department of Education suggests that ‘Common sense should be used in assessing and managing the risks of any activity.’ but some UK schools have lost common sense when it comes to the health and safety of children activities in relation to wearing earrings.
Parents are baffled as to why this rule exist and have asked questions on various parenting forums on if a child has being hurt from wearing stud earring. Parents have experienced this in various ways even though the earring is the tiniest nose stud. It is more unhygienic to keep having the earring in and out of the ears due to an infection transferred from day to day hand germs. As a childcare professional, it is understandable that rules of risk assessment are put in place to prevent any litigation. However, these rules have to be based on common sense, cultural diversity and respect for the choice of parents for their children.
