Protective Behaviours (PBs) is a safety awareness and life skills programme which builds confidence and resilience by exploring our right to feel safe. It starts from the belief that we cannot be scared into feeling safe, and therefore it avoids a focus on scary scenarios and rigid sets of rules for how to deal with unsafe situations. Instead it teaches an ability to recognise when we are not feeling safe, and provide skills and tools to enable individuals to take action and get help when they need it.
The PB framework helps children and adults to recognise any situation where they feel worried or unsafe, such as feeling stressed, bullied or threatened. It can be used as an abuse prevention strategy, as well as promoting good citizenship. Additionally it recognises that life is also about challenging ourselves and taking safe risks in order that we try new things, and that this is both part of our development and an important life skill.
The programme also looks at identifying support networks for times when we need someone to listen and help.
Protective Behaviours is based on two key messages:
- We all have the right to feel safe all of the time
- We can talk with someone about anything, even if it feels awful or small
The programme can be used in a wide range of settings by teachers, parents, women’s refuge workers, the police, social workers, youth workers, health visitors and community workers. The approach therefore also provides a useful framework for working together to keep children safe.
Further information and a national practice sharing forum can also be found at PB People www.pbpeople.org.uk
Safety Net has many years experience delivering Protective Behaviours training and projects in the South East. Please see our Training Calendar for details of future courses, or contact us on training@safety-net.org.uk or 01273 420973 for more information.
Safety Net has really helped my family and me because we have done SNAP at school, and at home. It has helped my relationship with my friends and with my family. I am not as shy and nervous as I used to be and I have made five new friends
