Children’s experiences of Signs of Safety: A scoping review

Background and Objectives

It is increasingly recognised that children’s perceptions and experiences should be sought and heard in service design and delivery. Signs of Safety (SofS) is a popular framework for child protection social work used in over 200 agencies globally. This scoping review aims to identify and synthesise the existing literature concerning children’s self-reported experiences of SofS.

Methods

Following a five-stage scoping review approach, a search of 26 databases and other electronic sources was undertaken. In addition, 23 SofS experts contributed to a consultation to identify further relevant material. Data synthesis included a structured two-author data extraction process and thematic analysis of qualitative data.

Results

Of the initial 981 sources identified, eight publications from seven studies met the search criteria and were included in the final review. Overall, the review demonstrates a limited evidence base. Studies are across six countries, but our search identified only one large scale study, with other sources comprising six or fewer participants. A key finding across this literature is that children report that SofS tools and processes can provide opportunities to support their participation in the child protection process. However, experiences are not universally positive and are influenced by how tools and processes are used.

Conclusions

While the evidence base is growing, there remains a need for high quality research on children’s self-reported experiences of SofS that includes children from the age of at least six years. The review highlights the importance of ensuring that workers are supported to develop the necessarily skills and experience and have organisational support to use SofS tools and processes effectively when engaging with children.