Guidance on using Signs of Safety 

Signs of Safety was developed in child protection services, so this is the umbrella term that we use for the approach. When we use Signs of Safety within different services we adapt it to those situations and it is known as:

• Signs of Wellbeing at prevention and early help
• Signs of Safety at child in need and child protection
• Signs of Stability for work with cared for children and young people and care leavers

Resources for work in each of these areas are included below.

Guidance for all areas

Guides

• Questioning Examples (PDF, 163KB)
• EARS Questions – Assessment/ Mapping (PDF, 154KB)
• Scaling (PDF, 164KB)
• Using the Three Houses (PDF, 159KB)
• Using the Wizard and Fairy (PDF, 157KB)
• Using the Safety House (PDF, 162KB)
• EARS Questions - Appreciative Inquiry (PDF, 147KB)
• Genograms (PDF, 165KB)
• Key Questions Cut Out Guide (PDF, 120KB)
• Guide for Managers, How To Model SOS (PDF, 172KB)
• GDPR Guidance (PDF, 62KB)
• How to guide Words and Pictures (PDF, 251KB)

Group Supervision Exercises

• Group Supervision – How to Guide (standard model) (PDF, 86KB)

• Appreciative Inquiry in Group Supervision (PDF, 92KB)

• Support Network Exercises (PDF, 169KB)

• Safety Planning in Group Supervision (PDF, 82KB)

 Examples:

• Assessment Training Case Example Sarah and Louise (PDF, 169KB)
• James and Josie Worry Statements, Wellbeing Goals and Questions (PDF, 332KB)
• James and Josie Trajectory, Scaling Questions and Exploring Triggers and Red Flags (PPT, 179KB)
• James and Josie Words and Pictures (PPT, 10MB)
• Case Example Child and Family Assessment July 2018 (PDF, 325KB)

 Templates:

• Three Houses Template (PDF, 176KB)
• Fairy Template (PDF, 152KB)
• Wizard Template (PDF, 143KB)
• Safety House Template (PDF, 115KB)
• Three Columns Meeting Minutes/Notes Template (MS Word, 32KB)

Signs of Wellbeing

For the Early Help procedures, forms and guidance on completing the Early Help forms please see the Early Help website 

Guides

• Assessment/Mapping Guide (PDF, 166 KB)
• Worry Statements and Wellbeing Goals (PDF, 148KB)

Templates

• Assessment Template – Signs of Wellbeing (MS Word, 62KB)

Signs of Safety

Guides

• Assessment/Mapping Guide (PDF, 146 KB)
• Danger Statements and Safety Goals (PDF, 149KB)
• Agenda and Guidance for CIN meetings (PDF, 290KB)

Templates

• Assessment Template – Signs of Safety (MS Word, 60KB)

Signs of Stability

Guides

• Assessment/Mapping Guide (PDF, 146KB)
• Worry Statements and Success Goals (PDF, 144KB)

Templates

• Assessment Template – Signs of Stability (MS Word, 59KB)

Other resources

Lots of resources, including videos of practitioners sharing their experiences of using Signs of Safety, are available on the official Signs of Safety website www.signsofsafety.net