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Encourage open communication: Create a safe and non-judgmental space for your child to express their emotions and thoughts. Listen actively and validate their feelings, letting them know it's okay to feel the way they do.
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Identify trusted adults: Help your child identify and connect with trustworthy adults who can act as their "safe base." This could be a teacher, coach, family member, or counsellor who they feel comfortable confiding in and seeking support from when needed.
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Foster strong relationships: Help your child build supportive relationships with trusted friends, family members, teachers, or mentors. Encourage them to spend time with people who make them feel safe, understood, and valued.
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Explore interests and hobbies: Encourage your child to engage in activities they enjoy. These hobbies can provide a sense of belonging, accomplishment, and act as a source of comfort during challenging times.
#SafeBase is focused on supporting a child or young person to find their ‘safe base’ and encouraging and providing them with an ‘anchor’ and a 'place' of safety, recognising this could be different for everyone.
It could be a person, a place, an activity, an item or a combination of these. The important thing is for them to find what makes them feel safe, supported, and valued, and to nurture those connections and experiences.
Examples of SafeBases
- "Home is my safebase."
- "My family are my safebase."
- "Someone I am safe talking to, is my safebase."
- "Scrolling on my phone makes me feel safe."
- "A family member who is educated or experienced in mental health would make me feel safe."
- "My hobbies make me feel safe and give me a place of safety. They help"
- "Being outside in the fresh air is my safebase"
- "My family give me safety."
- "Someone safe to give me emotional support"
- "Going to meetings for support helped me and gave me a safebase. Everyone should have this."
- "There are different, trusted places you can get help and support from: adults, safeguards, websites, campaigns are all good."
Tips for children and young people to find their #safebase
- Surround yourself with friends who make you feel accepted and understood. So you can share experiences and learn from one another.
- Remember it's okay to ask for help. Talk to a trusted adult, such as a parent, teacher, or school counsellor, about what you're going through.
- Find a physical or virtual safe space that brings you comfort and security.
- Use the resources and support available to you.