SAFETY FOR CHILDREN
Safety planning with your kids
program (see your local services). Train children in age-appropriate safety precautions such as keeping doors and windows locked at all times (see the Home Safety chapter in this book). If your child has a mobile phone or any online accounts, discuss online safety with them (see the Online Safety chapter in this book).
A safety plan should include ways that your children can stay safe if violence occurs. Safety planning with your kids can be difficult depending on their age, maturity, and willingness. Please seek help from specialist child and family services if you need to. Find a calm time to talk through plans with your kids Ask your child what they do to make them feel safe when they are scared and support them to do those things if they need to. For example, a place to go to when they’re afraid. Teach your children when and how to call emergency service ‘000’. Practice your home address with them so they remember. (You can write it on a card next to the phone.) Practice with them about where to go if there is danger: for example, a neighbour’s house. Choose a code word that you can say when your children need to leave the home in case of an emergency. Teach the children that although they want to protect their parent, it is very important that they never intervene. Help children to make a list of safe people that they can talk to. Older children may need to choose the people that know about their personal information, so support them to feel in control if needed. Enroll them in a counselling
The safety of children after leaving a violent relationship is vital. Take precautions to make sure your kids have safe arrangements. Make a plan with your kids so they can protect themselves.
School/Child Care/Sport Coaches and Other Carers It is important that other people who may be caring for your child understand your circumstances and for a safety plan to be made with them. Put in writing who has authorisation to pick up your child. Provide a copy of your family court orders or ADVO so they can call the police if the abuser attempts to pick up your child. Provide the carers with a photograph of the abusive person. Let the school know you don’t want pictures of your
Request the school/carer to alert appropriate staff about the situation: such as school
counsellor, receptionist, teachers and principal,
Planning for kids visiting their other parent/carer
sports coaches, after school activity providers or other caretakers. Remind your child to stay with their teacher/coach on duty and wait together for their transport (bus or authorised person picking them up). Ask the teacher/coach on duty to meet the bus or car on arrival and walk your child to their class or activity if you are unable to take them.
If you are concerned for your children’s safety when they visit their other parent/carer, develop a safety plan for while they are at another home. Brainstorm with your children to come up with ways that they can stay safe using the same model as you would for your own home. Have them identify where they can get to a phone, how they can leave the house, and who they can go to. If it’s safe to do so, give the children a mobile phone, that can be used to call emergency services or a safe person. T he other parent may ask the child about what you do, where you work or other family activities. Help your child practice saying things to the other parent that aren’t giving away too much information about you.
children shared on line. School needs consent to post a child’s picture.
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