Each year, schools pay out millions of pounds in compensation because of negligence towards children in their care. School playground and classroom hazards are common, but a frequent cause of injury for children is dangers on school trips.

Many parents don’t consider it but a child is very vulnerable when on a school trip. Accidents happen because of:

· Traffic accidents on the journey to and from the trip.

· Food poisoning (eating at poorly regulated cafes and hotels)

· Trips and falls (especially in old ruins/historic buildings)

· Animal attacks (on farms/zoos/woodland etc.)

· Dangerous machinery

· Poorly maintained, or dirty accommodation

· The school’s poor supervision enabling your child to consume alcohol or drugs

· Accidents in swimming pools and water parks

· Crossing roads or walking in traffic

The biggest cause of accidents is poor supervision. Many schools use under qualified staff to supervise children on school trips, such as parents or students on work experience. In some cases, children are left completely unsupervised – even in a foreign country. This is a special risk for teenagers, who the school might give more freedom to than a parent would chose, leading to tragic accidents or criminal attacks. Poor supervision is also a leading cause of accidents involving dangerous machinery, trips and falls and animal attacks.