Safety Plan Toolkit

A structured, fill-in-the-blanks safety plan template with simple steps and quick actions.

Safety Plan Toolkit

1. Quick Version: 5-Step Safety Plan

Use this short version when you need something simple and fast. You can adjust or expand it later.

1. Safe Places
   • One safe room or area inside the home to move toward
   • One safe place outside the home to go (friend, family, public place)
   • One backup place if the first option is not available
2. People to Contact
   • 1–2 trusted people you can call or text
   • One service number or local support line (kept somewhere safe)
   • Decide on a simple code word or phrase that means “I need help”
3. Grab-and-Go Items
   • Keys (home, car, work)
   • Phone and charger
   • Identification and bank card or small cash if possible
4. Digital Safety Basics
   • Know how to quickly lock your phone
   • Know how to delete recent calls or messages if needed
   • Use a simple screen lock (PIN, pattern, or password)
5. Exit Options
   • Identify at least one way to leave the home safely
   • Plan how you would get transport (car, ride, public transit, walking)
   • Know one place where you could stay, even temporarily

2. Detailed Version: Before, During, After

2.1 Before: Preparing in Advance

These are options to review and organize before a situation becomes unsafe.

• Information to know
  • Your full address (for calls where you need to state it quickly)
  • Closest intersection or landmark near your home
  • Names of any medications you or dependents use
• Documents and copies
  • ID cards (yours and dependents’)
  • Important numbers: medical, school, work, financial
  • Copies stored in a safe place outside the home if possible
• Money and transportation options
  • Small amount of cash kept somewhere safe
  • Spare transit card or plan for public transport
  • Spare car key stored in a discreet location if safe to do so
• Safe-room planning inside the home
  • Prefer rooms with:
    • Two exits if possible (door, window)
    • No weapons or heavy objects that can be used to harm
    • A phone or a way to call for help
  • Plan how to move children or dependents toward safer spaces
• Support network
  • Identify 1–3 people you can tell basic information to
  • Agree on:
    • Code words or phrases (for example, “Can you send that recipe?”)
    • What they should do if they receive that code
  • Decide how they should contact you (call, text, email, app)
• Work, school, and community settings
  • Consider informing:
    • Workplace security or reception
    • School administrators or trusted staff
  • Arrange:
    • Alternate pickup arrangements for children if relevant
    • Updated emergency contact information

2.2 During: Options in an Escalating or Unsafe Situation

These steps focus on staying as safe as possible in the moment.

• Positioning and space
  • Move toward rooms with:
    • Doors and windows
    • Access to a phone or device
  • Try to avoid spaces with:
    • Sharp objects or weapons
    • Small enclosed spaces with no second exit
• Communication options
  • Use pre-arranged code words with trusted contacts
  • If calling, be ready to:
    • State your name, location, and any urgent safety needs
    • Leave the line open if you cannot speak freely
  • If texting, keep messages short and factual
• Exiting the home
  • Use planned exits (door, window, back route)
  • Take only what you can grab quickly:
    • Phone
    • Keys
    • Dependents if possible and safe
  • Go directly to:
    • A neighbor you trust
    • A public place such as a store or community location
• In public spaces
  • Move toward:
    • Staffed areas (desks, counters, security points)
    • Well-lit, busy areas with other people present
  • Ask workers or staff for a private space if needed

2.3 After: Short-Term and Longer-Term Steps

Once you are out of the immediate situation, you can decide which of these options make sense for you.

• Immediate steps
  • Find a safe place to stay, even if temporary
  • Let one trusted person know where you are (if safe)
  • Charge your phone and secure your devices
• Documenting what happened
  • Note dates, times, and brief descriptions of incidents
  • Save messages, emails, or logs in a secure location
  • Consider keeping duplicates somewhere the person cannot access
• Updating routines and privacy
  • Review:
    • Daily routines such as work and school routes
    • Social media sharing and location tagging
  • Adjust:
    • Who knows your new address or location
    • What information is visible about you online
• Connecting with supports
  • Look into:
    • Local advocacy organizations
    • Legal information services
    • Housing, financial, or benefits supports
  • Additional tools and professional supports can also be explored through resources listed at DV.Support.

3. Fill-in-the-Blanks Safety Planning

You can print or copy these sections and fill them in. Update as your situation or options change.

3.1 My Key Information

• My full name: ________________________________
• Address where I sleep most often: ________________________________
• Nearest intersection or landmark: ________________________________
• Phone number I use most: ________________________________
• Other numbers or emails I use: ________________________________

3.2 Safe Places

• Safest room/area in my home: ________________________________
• Second safest room/area in my home: ________________________________
• Safe place nearby (friend, family, neighbor):
  • Name: ________________________________
  • Address: ________________________________
  • Phone: ________________________________
• Public safe place (store, library, community building): ________________________________
• Backup place if others are not available: ________________________________

3.3 People I Can Contact

• Trusted person 1:
  • Name: ________________________________
  • Phone / app: ________________________________
  • Code word we will use: ________________________________
• Trusted person 2:
  • Name: ________________________________
  • Phone / app: ________________________________
  • Code word we will use: ________________________________
• Local support service or hotline information I may use:
  • Name: ________________________________
  • Phone / website: ________________________________
  • Hours: ________________________________

3.4 My Grab-and-Go Items

List items that matter most to you and are realistic to take quickly.

• Keys:
  • Home keys kept at: ________________________________
  • Car keys kept at: ________________________________
• Phone and charger location: ________________________________
• Important documents:
  • Where originals are kept: ________________________________
  • Where copies are kept (outside the home if possible): ________________________________
• Medications for me or dependents:
  • Names and doses: ________________________________
  • Where they are stored: ________________________________
• Cash or payment cards:
  • Approximate amount and storage place: ________________________________

3.5 My Exit Plan

• Primary way I would leave the home: ________________________________
• Alternate way I would leave the home: ________________________________
• How I would get transport (car, rides, transit, walking): ________________________________
• First place I would go: ________________________________
• Second option if the first place is not available: ________________________________

4. Digital Safety Segment

This section focuses on options for safer use of phones, computers, and online accounts.

4.1 Devices and Access

• List of devices I use:
  • Phone(s): ________________________________
  • Computer(s): ________________________________
  • Tablet(s): ________________________________
• Who knows or might know my device passwords or PINs: ________________________________
• Which devices the other person can access or has set up: ________________________________

4.2 Passwords and Accounts

• Accounts I may want to review:
  • Email: ________________________________
  • Messaging apps: ________________________________
  • Social media: ________________________________
  • Banking or financial: ________________________________
  • Cloud storage / photo backups: ________________________________
• Options to consider:
  • Changing passwords from a device the other person does not control
  • Using different passwords for different accounts
  • Keeping new passwords in a secure place not accessible to the other person

4.3 Location and Tracking

• Check if any of these are turned on:
  • Location sharing in maps or family locator apps
  • Location tags on social media posts and photos
  • Shared device accounts (Apple ID, Google account, etc.)
  • Car GPS apps or in-car tracking linked to shared accounts
• Consider:
  • Turning off or limiting location sharing where safe and feasible
  • Using “private” or “incognito” modes for searching sensitive information
  • Accessing sensitive accounts from a device the other person does not use

4.4 Communication Safety

• Plan where to keep:
  • Trusted contacts under neutral names if helpful
  • Code words in place of direct phrases like “I am unsafe”
• Decide how to handle:
  • Call logs and text histories
  • Social media messages and comments
  • Blocked numbers or muted conversations
• Consider using:
  • Separate email or messaging account for safety planning
  • Apps with disappearing messages only if that aligns with your documentation needs

5. Kids & Dependents Segment

This section can be adapted for children, older family members, roommates, or others who rely on you.

5.1 Basic Information for Dependents

• Names and ages:
  • Dependent 1: ____________________ Age: ____
  • Dependent 2: ____________________ Age: ____
  • Dependent 3: ____________________ Age: ____
• Any medical or access needs:
  • Medications: ________________________________
  • Mobility or communication needs: ________________________________

5.2 Safety Instructions for Children

Use age-appropriate language. You can practice calmly at neutral times.

• Simple rules:
  • Where they should go in the home if adults are arguing: ________________________________
  • Who they can ask for help (neighbors, teachers, relatives): ________________________________
  • What they should avoid doing (for example, not trying to physically intervene)
• Information they can memorize if appropriate:
  • Their full name
  • Their parent or caregiver’s name
  • Their address
  • A safe phone number to call
• Practice scripts (if safe):
  • “My name is __________. I am ___ years old. I need help at __________.”

5.3 School, Childcare, and Other Settings

• People at school or childcare to inform (if safe to do so):
  • Names and roles: ________________________________
• Things to discuss with them:
  • Who is allowed to pick up the child
  • What to do if the other person comes unexpectedly
  • Updated emergency contact list
• Transportation plans:
  • How children get to and from school or activities
  • Alternative routes or pickup people if needed

5.4 Exit Plan Including Dependents

• Steps I would take to leave with dependents if safe:
  • Who I would collect first: ________________________________
  • Where we would meet inside or outside the home: ________________________________
  • What each person would bring if possible (medications, comfort items): ________________________________
• Backup options if we cannot leave together:
  • Safe adult or place for the child to go: ________________________________
  • Instructions they have practiced for that situation

5.5 Ongoing Review

• Set a simple reminder to review this plan:
  • Every month / every few months: ________________________________
• Note any changes:
  • New school or job details
  • New phone numbers or addresses
  • Changes in who lives in the home

Recommended Articles

• Safety Planning Checklist
• Gathering and Storing Evidence Safely
• Digital Safety Guide
• Planning to Leave Safely
• Children and Teen Safety Planning