Partnering with children

Children often become invisible once a safety plan is developed with their parents.

You need to make sure that children are kept connected and involved. Help them to understand what to expect of others, the rules that their parents and others should follow, and any changes to the way things are.

Involving children in safety planning can help reduce their worries and confusion. It is also important they understand what is happening around them.

This process involves naming:

• who is worried and what about
• why it matters to the child
• what is being done about it
• who is helping
• what the important rules are
• who the child’s safety and support network is and who will have a copy of their plan.

The Safety House Tool is a good way to find out what children need in order to feel and be safe. You will also need to know who children see as supports and how they can talk to them about worries. A child’s ideas can be transferred to the safety plan.

The Three Houses Tool can be used to explore the behaviours that frighten and worry the child; as well as what worries they have for others. It can help explore protective factors that can shape safety planning and case planning and create a picture of what needs to change for the child to feel safe and happy.

The Future House is a visual tool that helps practitioners explore with families their vision for the future. The tool focuses on eliciting and understanding the parent’s and the family members’ visions for the future safety, belonging and wellbeing of the child, and then developing action steps towards that future.   

Strengths-based questions for children

Discussing their parent’s alcohol and substance use can be very stressful for children. Ensure they have the opportunity to have a safe person with them and good care after the speaking with caseworkers.