Review the safety plan

Immediate safety planning is dynamic and responsive — it is monitored and reviewed regularly. Review the safety plan no longer than 7 days after creating it, or even sooner if circumstances change or the plan doesn’t seem to be working. Long-term safety and support plans should be regularly reviewed depending on the circumstances. For example, is the plan to support safe family-time?  If so, each visit and phone call can be reviewed to see if the family’s time together is safe and whether the plan needs to be amended. 

If the safety plan is not working to keep the child safe, consider what protective actions are available, including whether the child needs to leave the home until changes can be made.

What if the child is not safe?

If the child is unsafe:

• Have all the child’s family, friends and networks been found? These yet unknown people may be the next best option.
• How might they be able to best support the child staying safe at home?

If the child needs to be separated from their parents. Consider:

• How can the child, family and network be best supported to make this decision and that includes their opinions and ideas as much as possible?
• What can be done to support the parent to be reunited with their child? And to re-establish safe and nurturing family-time with their child?
• When the parent is well again, will they be able to care for their child? How much time might they need?