Bradley's Story

 That's what risk aversion looks like when it goes unchecked.

“I'm a senior manager at a foster care agency. Part of my job is ensuring we have adequate insurance cover.

One year, as we were working on renewing our insurance, our insurer came back to us saying that the liability cover would exclude swimming. This would effectively mean that no child or young person in our care would be permitted to swim. Anywhere. Not at the beach. Not at a lake. Not at a public pool. Not even at home.

This was off the back of a liability claim made in relation to a child in foster care drowning. A tragedy. No question. But the response was to basically make it so no child in care swims. Ever. That was their solution.

We went with a different insurer. There was no question about it. We would never agree to that. But I think about what would have happened if we hadn't had that option.

These are kids who already feel different. Already feel like they're on the outside of normal life looking in. And someone, somewhere, sitting in an office, was ready to make it so they couldn't go to the beach with their mates. Couldn't jump in a pool on a hot day. Couldn't just be a kid.

That's what risk aversion looks like when it goes unchecked. It's not neutral. It has a cost. And it's never the people making the decision who pay it.”

Bradley’s story – a senior manager with over two decades of experience (name changed to protect privacy).

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