Summary of Danger Statements and Safety Goals

Summary of Danger Statements and Safety Goals

Danger Statements and Safety Goals

These are critical “bookends” of Signs of Safety work

The danger statement: gives the reason we are working with the family in clear terms the family understands

The safety goal: addresses the concerns and describes what the child’s life will be like and how the family will be behaving so that we are no longer worried

They give everyone a trajectory for the work and your mapping is incomplete without them.

Best tips:

Danger/Worry Statement

Danger Statements can begin honouring what the family have already done, safety that is in place, based on evidence of specific actions or behaviours.  They then clarify the risks/worries/danger

1. Who is worried?
2. What are they worried about?
3. What are they worried will happen if nothing changes?

All the time thing about the impact on the child

Safety/Wellbeing Goals

Can be prefaced with best hopes for the situation, followed by a safety goal for each danger/worry statement.  The safety goals describe what things will be like at the point that we are ready to close the case or step down the service input.

1. What will the parent be doing that is different?
2. What will the child be experiencing?
3. What will professionals see that tells them things are good enough that the child is safe and will continue to be safe?