Personal safety
Beginner concepts

Identifying safe people

Parents often worry about how their child can find safe support when they are on their own.

Introduction

Parents often worry about how their child can find safe support when they are on their own. It’s important to teach children with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder how to identify their ‘safe’ people and to help them understand the difference between a ‘safe’ person and a ‘tricky’ person.

You might be more used to the concept of ‘stranger danger’, but we now know that abuse is less likely to come from a stranger and more likely to come from someone you or your child has contact with and knows. This is why it’s important to teach children with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder to recognise when they feel uncomfortable or have a have a feeling that makes them want to say ‘no’. You can then work with your child to establish solid rules about interacting with others to keep them safe. Instead of stranger danger, you can support your child to recognise ‘tricky people’ and ‘safe people’.

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Conversation Starters

What makes you feel safe? (example: when people listen to what I have to say, when I can have private time to myself)

Can you tell me who you can go to if you feel unsafe? (example: I can go to my teacher and my parents if I feel unsafe)

Tell me something that makes you feel unsafe (example: when people lie, when people yell, being mean to others)

Strategies for you to try

Use the “Who are my safe people?” worksheet to list your child’s safe people

Talk to your child about what makes these people safe and write down ‘safe’ qualities of each person

Use the “Who’s in my orbit?” activity sheet to help your child identify and reinforce their preferred touch with others

If you are using a new support worker or service, make sure you have a meeting or an introduction beforehand so you and your child can get to know this new person and set boundaries early

When you are in a public place with your child, point out certain spaces like the information desk or a particular store. This can act as a meeting point if your child gets lost or separated from you

Support your child to recognise the feeling in their tummy (or any other fear feeling) that makes them feel unsafe. Use the ‘villains’ in their favourite TV shows or movies to identify traits of ‘tricky people’ that they can easily recognise

Teach your child to feel comfortable saying or signing NO!

Keep names, addresses and contact numbers in a safe place that your child can access when out and about. Have a copy in their wallet or their phone/device

protect from abuse