Medway has adopted ‘Signs of Safety’ as the practice framework to help in our work. Signs of Safety is a strengths-based approach to working children and families. The emphasis is on helping families rather than ‘intervening’.  The focus is shifted from a way of working where professionals are considered to be the experts to a constructive, relationship-based model of helping parents to change. Whilst there is an emphasis on the strengths in the child’s network, the child’s safety is always the focus of any help provided.

The three main principles of the Signs of Safety model are:

1. Developing positive and constructive working relationships with families, children and between professionals.
2. Working with families from a stance of appreciative inquiry and being professionally curious, applying a questioning approach.
3. Promoting the direct involvement of practitioners and service users in the research and development of Signs of Safety so that the model is informed by what complex case work and child practice actually looks and feels like.

The Signs of Safety Framework considers seven domains in any assessment:

• What is the harm (past and present) that we are worried about in respect of a child?
• What are we worried is going to happen to the child in the future if nothing changes?
• What are the complicating factors in this family?
• What are their strengths and positive attributes?
• Is there any existing safety or protection?
• What needs to happen to keep the child safe now?
• What does the family want to happen?

Download the partners guide to Signs of Safety:

• Signs of Safety Briefing for Partners

Signs of Safety Awareness Training

You can find out more details and book onto the Signs of Safety training.