A child who feels unwell at school may not know which adult to approach. Another child might feel uncomfortable during an activity but struggle to explain what happened or ask for help. These everyday situations highlight why children need to learn how to recognise trusted people and communicate when they need support.
Parents and educators can teach this skill gradually through simple conversations, familiar examples, and regular practice. The aim is to help children identify appropriate adults, understand that they can ask for help, and recognise that they should speak up when something feels unsafe or confusing.
Learning about trusted people is an important part of school readiness. It supports children’s confidence in navigating school routines, asking questions, seeking assistance, and communicating concerns.
Step 1: Explain What a Trusted Person Is
Begin with a simple, age-appropriate explanation. A trusted person is an adult who is responsible for helping keep a child safe, listens to their concerns, and responds appropriately when they need assistance.
Examples may include a parent or caregiver, a familiar teacher, a school counsellor, or another adult officially responsible for children’s care. The appropriate people will depend on the child’s school, family arrangements, and circumstances.
Explain that children do not need to solve every problem alone. They can ask a trusted adult for help if they feel lost, hurt, worried, confused, or uncomfortable.
Avoid teaching that a person is trustworthy simply because they are familiar, friendly, or hold a particular job. Children should understand that safe behaviour and appropriate responsibilities matter.
Step 2: Identify Trusted Adults at Home and School
Help your child identify specific adults they can approach in different settings.
At home, talk about which adults they can contact when they need help. At school, identify the child’s teacher and another appropriate staff member they can approach if their usual teacher is unavailable.
You can practise questions such as:
- “Who can you ask if you feel sick at school?”
- “Which adult can help if you cannot find your classroom?”
- “Who could you tell if another child hurts you?”
- “What could you do if your teacher is not available?”
For younger children, use photographs, names, or simple drawings to make the people easier to remember. For older children, discuss how to approach staff and explain a concern clearly.
Encourage children to identify more than one appropriate adult. This gives them another option if their first choice is unavailable.
Step 3: Practise Everyday School Situations
Children often understand a skill more easily when they can connect it to a familiar situation. Use short role-play activities at home or in the classroom.
Scenario: The child feels unwell.
Ask, “What could you do if your stomach hurts during a lesson?” Help the child practise approaching the teacher and saying, “I don’t feel well. Can you help me?”
Scenario: The child is lost or separated from the group.
Practise staying in a safe place and approaching an appropriate staff member or designated adult for help. Explain that the child should not wander around alone trying to find their group.
Scenario: The child does not understand an instruction.
Encourage them to say, “Can you explain that again, please?” This teaches them that asking questions is a normal part of learning.
Scenario: Something makes the child uncomfortable.
Practise phrases such as, “I don’t like that,” “Please stop,” or “I need help.” Explain that the child can tell a trusted adult if someone ignores their boundaries or asks them to do something that feels unsafe.
Keep practice calm and supportive. The purpose is to build familiarity, not frighten children with worst-case scenarios.
Step 4: Teach Children to Speak Up About Uncomfortable Situations
Children need to know that they can communicate discomfort even when they are unsure how to describe it. Explain that they can say no to unwanted contact, move away from an uncomfortable situation when possible, and tell a trusted adult what happened.
It is also important to explain that adults and older children should respect appropriate personal boundaries. No child should be told to keep an unsafe secret, and a child should never be blamed for something harmful that someone else has done.
Use clear language suited to the child’s age. For example, explain the difference between a pleasant surprise that will be shared later and a secret that makes someone feel worried, frightened, or uncomfortable.
Reassure children that if one adult does not listen or help, they should tell another trusted adult. Keep the message simple: keep telling safe adults until someone helps you.
Step 5: Build the Skill Into Everyday Routines
Identifying trusted people should not be taught only during a formal lesson. Parents and educators can reinforce the skill through ordinary school preparation and daily conversations.
Before school, remind the child which adult to approach if they need assistance. After school, ask open questions such as, “Was there a time today when you needed help?” or “Who did you talk to when you had a question?”
Listen without immediately correcting the child’s account. If they describe a difficult situation, acknowledge their feelings and help them think through an appropriate next step.
Teachers can reinforce the same skill by making it clear which staff members students may approach, where help is available, and how to report a concern. Children should know that asking for help is acceptable even when the problem seems small.
Step 6: Adapt Practice to the Child’s Communication Needs
Not every child will be comfortable explaining a problem verbally. Some may communicate more easily through gestures, pictures, written words, or a communication aid.
For a child who finds speaking difficult, practise a simple help card or a picture that identifies the relevant adult. Another child may benefit from rehearsing a short sentence several times before using it at school.
Avoid assuming that a child understands a safety instruction just because they can repeat the words. Ask them to demonstrate what they would do in a simple scenario and offer further practice if needed.
The goal is functional understanding: the child should have an accessible way to seek help when they need it.
How Parents and Educators Can Work Together
Consistent messages across home and school can make this learning easier. Parents can ask the school which adults students should approach, while educators can encourage children to seek help without embarrassment or fear of punishment.
Both should reinforce that children are allowed to ask questions, report discomfort, and speak up when something seems wrong. Adults should respond calmly and take concerns seriously.
If a child reports possible harm or an unsafe situation, listen carefully, avoid leading questions, and follow the school’s safeguarding procedures and applicable child-protection guidance. Immediate safety concerns require prompt action through the appropriate local channels.
Helping Children Feel Safer and More Confident at School
Teaching children to identify trusted people is an ongoing process. Begin by naming appropriate adults, practise realistic situations, and reinforce the message that asking for help is a strength rather than a weakness.
Children may need repeated reminders as they grow, change classrooms, or encounter unfamiliar situations. Patient practice can help them become more confident in communicating concerns and seeking assistance when necessary.
Neurobloom Rehabilitation Centre in Dubai provides child-focused developmental services, including support related to communication and everyday participation. Families with broader concerns about a child’s communication or school participation can enquire about available services and whether professional guidance may be appropriate.
The essential lesson is simple: children should know whom they can approach, how to ask for help, and that they deserve to be listened to and kept safe.
