My safety team – teenagers

A ‘safety team’ or ‘safety network’ is a group of adults you trust, who will listen, believe and help you when you feel unsafe.

Creating a safety team will help make sure you know who you can go to for support, advice or if you have any questions. You might like to write your trusted adults down in a journal, on your computer or phone, or by using the activity in the PDF version linked above. You should let the people on your safety team know, so they can be prepared to help you if you need. You might also want to show them the Being a safety helper activity.

You might like to discuss the idea of using a code word or safe word with some or all of the adults on your safety team when you feel unsafe, scared or uncomfortable. This would be a word that you could say to them or text them if you need their help. You could use the same word with all of your trusted adults, or choose different words. The word can be anything you both agree on, but shouldn’t be a word you regularly use. It can be something completely random, like ‘magenta’, ‘pineapple’ or ‘zebra’ – as long as you and your trusted adults can remember it and what it means when you use it.

The adults you nominate should be a mix of people who live inside and outside of your home, and a mix of females and males. Think about people in your family, at school, friends’ parents, or adults you know in your sports groups or community activities.

Suggestions: mum, dad, carer, grandparent, aunty/uncle, teacher, principal, friend of mum or dad, police, Kids Helpline.

In an emergency, you should call Triple Zero (000).

You can call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. They provide 24/7 help and support for children and young people.