Free Resource · SEND & Safety
20 safety skills every SEND child can grow into.
A checklist you can build with, not a test to pass. Tick off what your child can already do — whatever's left isn't a gap, it's simply what to teach next, one skill at a time, in real places.
Safety skills don't always develop the same way for SEND and autistic children — communication differences, sensory needs, and a preference for routine over instinct can all change how a child responds when it matters most. That doesn't mean these skills can't be taught. It means they usually need to be taught deliberately, in the places they'll be used, rather than assumed.
This checklist breaks independence and safety down into 20 concrete, observable skills across six areas — from responding to a name, to recognising a hazard, to knowing what to do if separated from a caregiver. Use it to see where your child already is, and to choose exactly what to work on next.
Want the "how," not just the list? Download the free practical guide (PDF) — it walks through all 20 skills with a small, ABA-grounded way to teach each one, plus a page on the teaching principles behind the tips.
0 of 20 skills ticked
Connection & communication
Following safety instructions
Staying safe together
Recognising hazards
When things go wrong
Building it in
Every skill here can be taught
It's never too early — and never too late — to start. Pick just one skill and practise it this week, in a real place, a little at a time.
This isn't a pass-or-fail test, and there's no "behind." It's a starting point — a good one to bring to your child's team, nursery or therapist.
How To Use This Checklist
Practical, not theoretical.
Little and often, not all at once
Pick one or two unticked skills. Practise them in short, low-pressure moments across the week rather than a single big lesson.
Teach it where it actually happens
A child who can name “stop” on a worksheet may not yet stop on a real pavement. Practise in the park, at the school gate, by the water — wherever the skill is actually needed.
Build in small steps
Break a skill down — noticing a road, then pausing at the kerb, then checking both ways — and reinforce each part before linking them together.
Bring it to the wider team
Share this checklist with your child's school, therapist or SENCO. A shared list means everyone teaches and reinforces the same skills, in the same way.
Want Support Putting This Into Practice?
Every family's starting point is different.
If you'd like help building a safety skills plan around your own child — at home, at school, or both — I offer consultation and training for families and professionals worldwide.