Children's Safety

If you have concerns about your children's safety, talk them over with someone e.g. your support worker, or Social Worker if you have one.  However, if they are at immediate risk you should speak to the police.

Here are some things to think about if you are worried about your children's safety.

Not all these suggestions might be relevant to your situation and before taking any of these safety steps, please consider if it could add to your risk.  If you have any concerns, speak to your ASSIST worker.

If at any time you feel that you or your children are at immediate risk or danger, you should call 999.

• Let the school or nursery know what is going on and any concerns you have about the children
• Let the school, nursery and social work know if there are any bail conditions, non-harassment or other court orders that stop your (ex) partner, from having contact with the children
• If you walk to school or nursery, try changing the route that you take, if you can
• Speak to the school or nursery to find out if there is anything they can do to help

Child Contact

Your children might still have contact with your (ex) partner, either with your agreement or by court order.  Having contact with them about your children can sometimes put you at risk, so here are some things you might want to consider:

• If your (ex) partner has bail conditions, or a non-harassment order, not to contact or approach you, they might need to make any plans to see the children through a friend, family member or solicitor
• If court or protective orders allow your (ex) partner to contact you about the children, speak to your ASSIST worker for advice about how manage this safely
• Ask a family member or friend to help drop-off and pick-up the children for contact visits, if it is safe for them to do this
• If you need to do the drop-off/pick up, then arrange to do this in a public place
• Sometimes it can help to have an arrangement for child contact that is agreed through solicitors e.g. set days/times every week
• If you feel that child contact is putting you or your children at risk, speak to your ASSIST worker or solicitor, if you have one.  However, if there is an immediate risk you should speak to the police.

Safety Planning with Children

If your children are old enough, you could speak to them about their safety and come up with a plan.  This could include:

• Who to contact if they feel at risk, including how and when to phone the police
• Safe places they can go to if they feel at risk
• When they go out, make sure you know where they are going, who they are with and a plan for them to check-in with you
• Our sections on Phone, Online Safety and Safety Away from Home may also have useful suggestions for children and young people