Safety Planning and Rapid Reviews

A safety plan establishes a structured and monitored process with clear goals and targets to enhance protection. Effective safety planning benefits from a relational approach. It involves making complex changes, such as openly discussing issues where children have been hurt or are at risk, explaining the situation to the children, and changing their living arrangements. Pressure to complete safety planning quickly can sometimes lead professionals to provide a general outline of their concerns and rush into defining the boundaries of a safety plan, which children or young people are expected to follow. This approach often fails because the children and young people may not fully understand the concerns and may not be invested in the boundaries. Although they may say they agree, they might only do so to elicit a response and feel that they have been effective. 

A safety plan includes strategies and resources to help children or young people navigate crises, such as recognizing personal warning signs, using self-soothing techniques, identifying trusted adults for support, and creating a safe environment.

It goes beyond simply being a list of emergency contacts. It is a proactive approach that equips the child with tools to protect themselves, even in the absence of caregivers. It considers the child’s circumstances, ability to comprehend and respond to situations, and the resources available in their immediate environment. It is a safety net that children can use to ensure their well-being.

However, creating a safety plan for children is not a one-time process. The plan must adapt as situations change and the child or young person grows. A static plan can become outdated, leaving the child or young person vulnerable in new or unexpected situations. Thus, the plan must be regularly reviewed and updated to maintain effectiveness.

In essence, it is a dynamic document that reflects the evolving needs and capabilities of the child, always prioritizing their safety and welfare.

Rapid Reviews are retrospective and reflective investigations in which the task of analysis is intended to inform learning, improvement, and development in day-to-day practice, policy, and systems.

Rapid reviews can:

  • Evaluate existing organisational approaches and provide unique insights into key areas.
  • Describes current understandings, identifies existing gaps, and future practice or boundary directions
  • Expedites finding an answer that will affect policy decisions or culture.
  • Acquires quality information that is usually produced in a systematic review in a timelier fashion.
  • The learning should be disseminated across the organisation and result in tangible change.