Signs of Safety
Signs of Safety is a strengths-based, solution-focused approach to child
protection and safeguarding that aims to improve outcomes for children by
working collaboratively with families while ensuring children's safety remains the
primary concern. Developed by Australian practitioners Andrew Turnell and
Steve Edwards during the 1990s, the approach combines rigorous risk
assessment with partnership working, recognising that families are more likely to
achieve lasting change when they are actively involved in decision making.
Rather than focusing solely on deficits and risks, Signs of Safety identifies
existing strengths, protective factors and safety networks that can be built upon
to reduce harm and improve children's wellbeing. Within social work, it has
become one of the most widely adopted practice frameworks in children's
services across the United Kingdom and internationally (Turnell & Edwards,
1999).
Signs of Safety was developed in response to concerns that traditional child
protection practice often focused primarily on identifying parental deficits and
professional authority, sometimes resulting in adversarial relationships between
practitioners and families. Turnell and Edwards sought to create an approach
that maintained a strong focus on child safety while promoting respectful,
transparent and collaborative working. Influenced by solution-focused therapy,
strengths-based practice and systems theory, they developed a framework that
encourages professionals and families to work together to identify risks,
strengths and practical plans for keeping children safe (Turnell & Edwards,
1999).
A central principle of Signs of Safety is that effective safeguarding requires
balancing concerns with strengths. Practitioners are encouraged to identify not
only the dangers affecting children but also the existing protective factors,
positive relationships and resources within the family and wider community. This
balanced assessment provides a more comprehensive understanding of family
functioning and avoids defining families solely by their difficulties.
The framework is organised around three key assessment domains. The first is
What are we worried about?, where practitioners identify past harm, current
dangers and future risks to the child. The second is What is working well?, which
explores existing strengths, protective factors, successful parenting behaviours
and support available from extended family or professionals. The third is What
Signs of Safety is a strengths-based, solution-focused approach to child
protection and safeguarding that aims to improve outcomes for children by
working collaboratively with families while ensuring children's safety remains the
primary concern. Developed by Australian practitioners Andrew Turnell and
Steve Edwards during the 1990s, the approach combines rigorous risk
assessment with partnership working, recognising that families are more likely to
achieve lasting change when they are actively involved in decision making.
Rather than focusing solely on deficits and risks, Signs of Safety identifies
existing strengths, protective factors and safety networks that can be built upon
to reduce harm and improve children's wellbeing. Within social work, it has
become one of the most widely adopted practice frameworks in children's
services across the United Kingdom and internationally (Turnell & Edwards,
1999).
Signs of Safety was developed in response to concerns that traditional child
protection practice often focused primarily on identifying parental deficits and
professional authority, sometimes resulting in adversarial relationships between
practitioners and families. Turnell and Edwards sought to create an approach
that maintained a strong focus on child safety while promoting respectful,
transparent and collaborative working. Influenced by solution-focused therapy,
strengths-based practice and systems theory, they developed a framework that
encourages professionals and families to work together to identify risks,
strengths and practical plans for keeping children safe (Turnell & Edwards,
1999).
A central principle of Signs of Safety is that effective safeguarding requires
balancing concerns with strengths. Practitioners are encouraged to identify not
only the dangers affecting children but also the existing protective factors,
positive relationships and resources within the family and wider community. This
balanced assessment provides a more comprehensive understanding of family
functioning and avoids defining families solely by their difficulties.
The framework is organised around three key assessment domains. The first is
What are we worried about?, where practitioners identify past harm, current
dangers and future risks to the child. The second is What is working well?, which
explores existing strengths, protective factors, successful parenting behaviours
and support available from extended family or professionals. The third is What
