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Practical worksheet

Protective planning that works in real life

A child-focused way to turn concerns into clear boundaries, responsible actions and a response if risk changes. Use it alongside—not instead of—any professional plan, agreement or court order.

Print a blank copy and complete it with the relevant family members and professionals.

What makes a plan useful?

Specific beats reassuring.

Name the risk clearly.A plan cannot protect a child from a vague ‘something might go wrong’. Describe what could happen, when and how.

Make actions observable.‘I will be careful’ is difficult to rely on. A named boundary, responsible adult, check or response can be followed and reviewed.

Plan for pressure, not perfection.Include tired days, conflict, unexpected contact and the moment someone disagrees with the boundary.

Escalate when the plan is not enough.A protective plan must say who will be contacted if risk rises, a boundary is broken or immediate help is needed.

Branches of Safety

Protective-planning worksheet

General information for England · Not a statutory safety plan

01

The child and their needs

02

Describe the concern

Keep this factual and child-focused. Avoid labels such as “unsafe person” without explaining the behaviour or situation that creates risk.

03

Clear boundaries and everyday protection

  • Who must not have unsupervised access to the child?
  • Where can contact or handovers safely happen?
  • Who can supervise, and what must that person actively do?
  • What substances, behaviour, people or locations would make contact unsafe?
  • What happens if someone arrives unexpectedly, refuses a boundary or becomes threatening?
  • What information must be shared with school, nursery, carers or professionals?
04

The protective network

Use people who understand the concern, agree with the boundaries and will act—not people who will quietly avoid an awkward conversation.

Person or serviceTheir roleHow to contact themWhen they must be told
05

Contact, handovers or time apart

Complete this only where it is relevant. Follow any court order, contact agreement or children’s-services plan.

06

If a boundary is broken or risk rises

  1. 01

    Stop the activity or contact if it is safe to do so.

  2. 02

    Move the child to the agreed safe person or place.

  3. 03

    Call 999 if anyone is in immediate danger or a crime is happening.

  4. 04

    Contact the child’s social worker, duty team or other named professional as agreed.

  5. 05

    Record what happened factually: date, time, people present, action taken and who was told.

  6. 06

    Review the plan before the same situation can happen again.

07

Check whether the plan is working

08

Shared understanding

Signing a family worksheet does not make it a legal agreement. It can show who helped make it and whether everyone understood their role.

Name and roleSignature / date
Name and roleSignature / date
Name and roleSignature / date
Name and roleSignature / date

Keep the plan connected

A family plan cannot override professional safeguards.

If a child already has a plan, written agreement, contact arrangement or court order, ask the relevant professional or your solicitor how this worksheet should sit alongside it.

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 Report a concern to the child’s local council NSPCC: reporting a safeguarding concern
Do not rely on this worksheet in an emergency.

Call 999 if a child or anyone else is in immediate danger. If the concern is not immediate, contact the child’s local council children’s social care team or the named professional involved.

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