Domain 4: Safety & Well-Being

Children first rely on their natural reflexes to signal basic survival needs to their caregiver(s). Toward the end of this age period, an emerging awareness in their own bodies and trust in their caregiver(s) support children in meeting needs and protecting them in uncertain and potentially unsafe situations.

Indicators for children include:

• Signals needs through reflexes and sounds, e.g., demonstrates rooting reflex when hungry, cries when uncomfortable
• Actively observes and explores environment
• Demonstrates interest in own body, e.g., stares at hands, mouths feet, pokes at belly button
• Uses physical movements to explore environment, e.g., reaching, sitting, rolling
• Demonstrates trust in caregiver(s), e.g., reaches for adult, comforted when soothed, looks for caregiver in novel situations

Strategies for interaction

• Meet the child’s needs in a prompt and sensitive manner
• Respond thoughtfully when interacting with the child
• Provide a safe, child-proof environment, while providing constant supervision
• Soothe and comfort the child as needed, e.g., hold, cuddle, rock
• Interact with the child; sit on the floor with the child and engage in exploration and play

Children’s increasing physical abilities allow them to explore new ways of interacting with the environment around them. Motivated by these new skills, children take risks to explore and learn, and demonstrate through nonverbal and verbal communication trust in their caregiver(s) to keep them safe.

Indicators for children include:

• Uses social referencing to assess uncertain situations, e.g., looks at a caregiver for social cues as to whether or not to proceed
• Actively climbs to reach for wanted objects during play
• Responds to cues from caregiver in uncertain and unsafe situations
• Hesitates and demonstrates caution in new and/or changing situations, e.g., stops crawling when reaches the edge of an uneven surface
• Responds to warnings and changes in tone of voice; needs assistance and redirection to stop unsafe behavior, e.g., looks up after hearing a stern “no” but does not necessarily stop the behavior or action

Strategies for interaction

• Use facial clues and gestures to communicate to the child in uncertain situations, e.g., nod head yes, and smile to encourage the child to crawl toward the new toy
• Establish boundaries and limits; remain consistent and firm
• Provide a safe, child-proof environment, while providing constant supervision
• Explain to children why certain rules are in place

Children begin to build a basic understanding of their physical limits and unsafe situations. Children are still motivated to interact and explore the environment with little regard to risks and continue to rely on caregiver(s) to help manage their impulses.

Indicators for children include:

• Understands when “no” and “stop” is communicated through either words or gestures
• Responds to warnings and begins to change behavior accordingly, e.g., moves away from the outlet after caregiver communicates “no”
• Seeks comfort when fearful
• Imitates adults’ actions during play, e.g., tells baby doll “no touch” when walking by the pretend stove

Strategies for interaction

• Provide a safe, child-proof environment, while providing constant supervision
• Model safe practices and behaviors for the child, e.g., do not stand on chairs when attempting to reach for objects
• Support the child in new situations; allow him or her time to warm up to new people, objects, and activities

Children will begin to demonstrate a limited ability to internalize what caregiver(s) communicates in relation to safety, rules, and well-being. Children continue to act upon impulses but begin to develop strategies to protect themselves in uncertain and potentially unsafe situations.

Indicators for children include:

• Pays attention to safety rules but still needs supervision to keep self safe
• Communicates to an adult if something is wrong, e.g., a peer is hurt or missing
• Remembers and begins to apply past experiences to future situations, e.g., walks carefully and slowly when there is snow on the ground
• Reminds younger peers of rules, e.g., holds hands with a younger peer while walking outside

Strategies for interaction

• Provide constant supervision and guidance
• Talk with the child about unsafe situations and what he or she should do to get help
• Respect the child’s expressed fears
• Establish boundaries and limits; remain consistent and firm