Practice Reform Project
Continuum of Service
Resource Document
Adaptations of Signs of Safety for the
Continuum of Service
31 January, 2015
ADAPTATIONS OF SIGNS OF SAFETY
FOR THE CONTINUUM OF SERVICE
This paper charts the key aspects of the Signs of Safety approach that are applied unchanged
and those that are adapted across the continuum of service, with examples to illustrate.
The simplified continuum of service encompasses:
Early help  Children in need  Child protection  Looked after children
Youth at risk Young offenders
ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING FRAMEWORK
The key changes apply to the three column assessment and planning framework.
The framework below shows the four domains of enquiry and seven analysis categories and
those domains and categories that stay the same across the continuum of service:
When we think about the situation facing this family:
What are we worried
about?
Harm
What is working well?
What needs to happen?
Existing strengths
Safety goals
Existing safety
Next steps
Danger statement
Complicating factors
On a scale of 0 to 10 where 10 is everyone knows the children are safe
enough for child protection authorities to close the case and zero means
things are so bad for the children they can’t live at home, where do we rate
this situation? (if different numbers place different people on the
continuum)
0−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−− 10
Examples of Adaptations to the Analysis Categories:
Harm 
Danger 
Existing safety 
Safety goals 
Risky behavior
Worry
statement
Positive
relationships
Goals
Critical risk
Positive
developments
Good things
Critical worry
Concern
Risks
Main worry
Disconnections
Worst case
scenario
Getting worse
Happy things
When it was
different
When it worked
Connections
Wellbeing goals
Success goals
Stability goals
Achievement
goals
Motivations
Dreams
Changes
Stuff that’s gotta
change
Examples of Adaptations to the Scaling Question:
Mess to success - On a scale of 0 to 10, where 10 means my life is ‘on track’ to where you want
to go in life and 0 is my life’s a complete mess, where are you?
Placement stability – On a scale of 0 to 10 where 0 is things have got so bad, there is so much
conflict, anxiety and mistrust that …. (the foster child) has to leave the placement now, and 10
is we have all understood what has happened and wht we need to do so we can live and work
together into the future happily and are totally up for doing it, where are you? And where is…?
Confidence about not getting into trouble with the law - On a scale of 0 to 10 where 10 is
everyone is confident that the young person won’t get into any more problems with the law /
justice system and 0 means you think the young person will be back in trouble and in court
immediately, where are you? And where is…?
How Many of the Parts of the Assessment and Planning Framework to Use?
Practitioners and partners will vary as to how many parts of the assessment and planning
framework will be used in different cases and circumstances. The three columns alone may
guide some discussions with partners and referrals. All four domains of enquiry, the three
columns and scaling questions, will be used in all formal assessment and planning across the
continuum. As assessment and planning and case management proceed, the analysis
categories will come into play. It may be that a ‘worry statement’ and ‘goals’ are enough to
plan the case. The more complex the case, the more analysis categories will come into play.
Child Protection cases use all the domains of enquiry and categories of analysis.
THE NAME – “SIGNS OF …. ”
With the various adaptations, the name Signs of Safety itself, when working with families and
young people, can be adapted.
Signs of Safety 
Signs of Success
Signs of Wellbeing
Signs of Stability
Signs of Achievement
Signs of Motivation
PRINCIPLES
All the principles apply:
Working relationships
Stance of critical enquiry
Being grounded in everyday practice
DISCIPLINES
The following disciplines apply unchanged:
Plain language
Statements focusing on specific observable behaviors
Skillful use of authority
Assessment is always a work in progress
The disciplines that distinguish between harm and danger and complicating factors, and
between strengths and protection, are adapted:
Being clear about the critical things that have actually occurred, what the workers are
worried could occur if there is no change in behavior and other circumstances.
Being clear about the positive things in general and those actual behaviors that have
demonstrated a capacity to overcome the main worries.
OTHER SIGNS OF SAFETY TOOLS
Three houses, and also the fairy and wizard variation, apply across the continuum.
Word and pictures explanations and plans can apply across the continuum.
OTHER KEY ASPECTS OF SIGNS OF SAFETY
Questioning approach is central across the continuum.
Networks of family and friends and community supports apply across the continuum.
.
SIGNS OF SAFETY LEARNING
All staff should be trained in the full Signs of Safety to show the thinking, the application to the
most difficult cases, and because cases step up and down. Training should introduce the way
Signs of Safety is adapted across the continuum and let workers know that it is OK to adapt
the framework and be flexible in how it is used. Practice leaders can continue this learning
with teams.
Appreciative enquiry, with families, young people and practitioners describing good
practice and what made it so, is powerful for learning and development, across the continuum