Family and Friends Forum

Family Safety Plans

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Lucy from Stop it Now!

Member since
September 2018

482 posts

Posted Mon July 10, 2023 12:35pmReport post

Family safety plans may not be relevant to every forum user, but most likely will be to those with young children.

A family safety plan is a personalised document, written collaboratively between yourself and the Local Authority. It is designed to support you and your family in managing the issues and concerns that the Local Authority may have following the arrest of a loved one for their online offending. It sets out what the family network will do to make sure that the children are safe and will remain safe, in the care of the family. The family safety plan also includes the details of how everyone will know that the plan is working, and what will happen if there are problems with it.

There may be conditions within the plan that you and/or your loved one are asked to do or not to do to ensure your children’s safety at home. This can include a range of things such as setting clear family guidelines for personal privacy and behaviour e.g. knocking on the door before entering the room of an adolescent; moving the computer to a public space within the home; teaching children the proper names for body parts and what to do if someone tries to touch them in a sexual way, and who will supervise the children within the house. These conditions tend to be bespoke and can vary from family to family.

Whilst a family safety plan is voluntary, if you fail to comply with it, this may raise the concerns of the Local Authority who could then seek to take further action e.g. make an application to the Court for a Care Order or a Supervision Order. Complying with the family safety plan can be used as positive evidence that you are engaging with professionals and taking the issue of risk and safely caring for your children seriously.

Before signing a family safety plan, you must make sure that you fully understand the document and feel confident that you will be able to comply with the arrangements set out in it. You should also seek clarification if there are any aspects that you feel unsure about.

There are lots of topics on this forum with so much useful information that we suggest you explore and note down.

For further information or help with safety planning pleas either call the Stop It Now! helpline on 0808 1000 900, where one of our advisors will be able to help you. Or visit our Parents Protect website, where relevant resources can be found:

https://www.parentsprotect.co.uk/

https://www.parentsprotect.co.uk/files/Family%20Safety%20Pack%20WEB%20JAN16.pdf

Edited by moderator Mon July 10, 2023 12:36pm