This guide is for family members or professionals who are concerned about the safety of children 5-12 years of age. At a personal or professional level, there is information to discuss the issue with the child, help them feel safe and find appropriate support for them.
Topics include:
- Rights of the child
- Signs that a child is experiencing violence
- Talking to children about safety and responding to violence
- Activities to help children feel safe
- Mandatory reporting requirements and limits of confidentiality
- Help and support services
There are three activities in this guide that can be downloaded separately and have been designed to help family members or professionals engage with children. They are:
Worry dial (PDF) - This activity helps children tell you how worried they are without having to talk about what is worrying them. It can give a sense of how unsafe or worried the child feels. Please refer to page 7 in the guide.
Trust tree (PDF) - Children can use this activity to identify adults that they trust for their safety network. They can tell these adults how they feel and will be believed. Please refer to page 10 in the guide.
Safe places (PDF) - This activity encourages children to remember when they felt safe and name pets, people, places, feelings etc. This helps to understand what each child needs to feel safe. Please refer to page 11 in the guide.
