Safety Planning with Children and Youth - A Toolkit for Working with Children and Youth Exposed to Domestic Violence

Sep 22, 2026

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Safety Planning with Children and Youth presents a practical toolkit for support workers in British Columbia to develop individualized safety plans for children and youth exposed to domestic violence. The toolkit provides guidance and information for mothers/caregivers as well as for children and youth experiencing, escaping, or facing domestic violence risks. It explains the toolkit’s purpose, supports evidence-informed planning approaches, and introduces a structured set of steps, child- and youth-appropriate safety planning guidance, and tools for specific situations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages74

Reading Time26 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

The Purpose of the Safety Planning With Children and Youth Toolkit

Section 1

Steps to Follow When Safety Planning with Children and Youth

Section 2

Developmentally Appropriate Child and Youth Safety Planning

Section 3

Practice Tips for Safety Planning with Children and Youth in Specific Situations

Section 4

Additional Factors to Consider When Safety Planning with Children and Youth

Appendix A

Impact of Witnessing Domestic Violence

Appendix B

Building Rapport with Children

Appendix C

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Resources & References

Safety Planning with Children and Youth A Toolkit for Working with Children and Youth Exposed to Domestic Violence Safety Planning with Children and Youth: A Toolkit for Working with Children and Youth Exposed to Domestic Violence Ministry of Justice © Ministry of Justice, 2011 (updated March 2013) ISBN 978-0-7726-6494-5 You are welcome to reproduce any portion of this book to use for training or educational purposes, provided you acknowledge the source by printing the following statement on the material copies: Reproduced from Safety Planning with Children and Youth: A Toolkit for Working with Children and Youth Exposed to Domestic Violence, Ministry of Justice. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This toolkit has been prepared by the BC Society of Transition Houses in partnership with the Ending Violence Association of BC with input and support from the Advisory Committee Members listed below: SAFETY PLANNING FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPOSED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Shabna Ali, BC Society of Transition Houses Denise Buote, Arbor Educational & Clinical Consulting Inc. Sandra Bryce, Mary Manning Centre Peggy Chan, Vancouver and Lower Mainland Multicultural Family Support Services Society Dave Cursons, Lower Similkameen Community Services Society Moira Dolen, Haven: A Society for Women and Children Diana Ellis, Consultant Shauna Filgate, Ministry of Children and Family Development Kat Fong, Cameray Child and Family Services Shelly Haynes-Marrelli, Ksan House Society Juliette Kamper, Ministry of Justice Shana Murray, Howe Sound Women’s Centre Society Tracy Myers, Haven: A Society for Women and Children Melissa Peoples, Haven: A Society for Women and Children Tracy Porteous, Ending Violence Association Rhonda Sandoval, Social Health and Economic Development Society Carolyn Sinclair, Police Victim Services of British Columbia Monique Talarico, Elizabeth Fry Society Prince George Cathy Welch, Ending Violence Association Rhiannon Wong, BC Society of Transition Houses SAFETY PLANNING FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPOSED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PILOT SITES Cameray Child and Family Services Cowichan Women Against Violence Society Elizabeth Fry Society Prince George Haven: A Society for Women and Children Howe Sound Women’s Centre Society Ksan House Society Lower Similkameen Community Services Society Social Health and Economic Development Society Sunshine Coast Community Services Society Vancouver and Lower Mainland Multicultural Family Support Services Society TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 7 Section 1 Steps to Follow When Safety Planning with Children and Youth 10 Section 2 Developmentally Appropriate Child and Youth Safety Planning 24 Section 3 Practice Tips for Safety Planning with Children and Youth in Specific Situations 31 Section 4 Additional Factors to Consider When Safety Planning with Children and Youth 37 Appendix A Impact of Witnessing Domestic Violence 48 Appendix B Building Rapport with Children 52 Appendix C The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 56 Appendix D Nature of Domestic Violence 57 Appendix E An Example of a Children’s Safety Planning Form 58 Appendix F An Example of a Pre-school Age Safety Plan 59 Appendix G An Example of an Elementary School Age Safety Plan 60 Appendix H Circle of Courage 62 Appendix I Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Definitions and Resources 63 Appendix J Safety Planning for Children’s Unsupervised Visitation Arrangements 65 Appendix K Safety Planning Group Session Example 66 Appendix L Sample Scripts for Safety Planning with Children and Youth 67 Resources & References 70 INTRODUCTION 1.The Purpose of the Safety Planning With Children and Youth Toolkit In British Columbia, there are no standardized tools available to assist support workers to develop safety plans with children and youth who have been exposed to domestic violence. The purpose of the Safe

FAQs

What problem does the toolkit address for British Columbia support workers?

It addresses the lack of standardized tools to help support workers create safety plans for children and youth exposed to domestic violence.

Who is the toolkit intended to help?

It supports individualized safety planning for children and youth and provides information for mothers/caregivers and for children/youth exposed to, experiencing, and/or fleeing domestic violence.

How was the toolkit developed?

Its development included sector-wide surveys, an international literature review, advice from the advisory committee, a BC pilot, and an external evaluation.

Sep 22, 2026

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