What is Protective Behaviours?

At Whitnash Primary School, we deliver the Protective Behaviours programme in the Autumn Term.

Please find more information below.



Protective Behaviours (PBs) is a safety awareness and life skills programme

which builds confidence and resilience by exploring our right to feel safe.

It starts from the belief that we cannot be scared into feeling safe, and therefore

it avoids a focus on scary scenarios and rigid sets of rules for how to deal with unsafe situations.

Instead, it teaches an ability to recognise when we are not feeling safe,

and provide skills and tools to enable individuals to take action and get help when they need it.

The PB framework helps children and adults to recognise any situation

where they feel worried or unsafe, such as feeling stressed, bullied or threatened.

It can be used as an abuse prevention strategy, as well as promoting good citizenship.

Additionally, it recognises that life is also about challenging ourselves and taking safe risks

in order that we try new things, and that this is both part of our development

and an important life skill.

The programme also looks at identifying support networks

for times when we need someone to listen and help.

Protective Behaviours is based on two key messages:

•  We all have the right to feel safe all of the time.
• We can talk with someone about anything, even if it feels awful or small.

All classrooms have a display which promotes these messages

to support the children’s safety all year round.

Early Warning Signs:

A poem written by an 8 year old

Pounding Heart
Goose Bumps
Dry Mouth
Tight Lump

Blurred Vision
Can’t See
Wide Eyes
Need a Wee

Frozen Limbs
Fluttering Tum
Sweaty Palms
Squelchy Bum

Jelly Legs
Can’t Move
Feel Sick
Where’s the Loo

Muddled Thoughts
Hair on End
Fight or Flight?
I Need a Friend