The need for Inuit parents’ perspectives on outdoor risky play

Abstract Parents’ perspectives on their children’s outdoor risky play behaviours influence their children’s adoption of safety strategies and their children’s approach to risky and dangerous situations (Brussoni & Olsen, 2011). Over the past decade, researchers have explored many Canadian mother...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar Record
Main Authors: Bauer, Michelle E.E., Giles, Audrey R.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247418000360
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247418000360
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Summary:Abstract Parents’ perspectives on their children’s outdoor risky play behaviours influence their children’s adoption of safety strategies and their children’s approach to risky and dangerous situations (Brussoni & Olsen, 2011). Over the past decade, researchers have explored many Canadian mothers’ and fathers’ perspectives on this topic; however, to date, there has been a lack of research on Indigenous parents’ perspectives, particularly those of Inuit parents. This lack of research means that Inuit families are unaccounted for in research used to create and promote safety policies and practices in Canada. The present research commentary is the first to address the urgent need for research on northern Canadian Inuit parents’ perspectives on outdoor risky play. Specifically, outdoor risky play is defined, and Inuit children’s outdoor play experiences are compared to non-Inuit children’s experiences. Further, Inuit children’s experiences of injury are discussed to further situate the dire need to work with the most vulnerable population in Canada – Inuit – in child injury prevention research.