Risky behaviours

Risky behaviours are actions or choices that could harm a person’s physical, emotional, or psychological well-being. In safeguarding, they are concerning because they may signal risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or harm—or that someone may be endangering themselves or others.

There are various types of risky behaviour. Some examples include: 

• Misuse of alcohol, drugs or other substances 
• Unsafe sexual activity 
• Self-harm 
• Criminal activity or association with gangs 
• Online risks (sharing personal information or images, engaging with strangers, cyberbullying) 
• Truancy or running away from home 
• Excessive risk-taking (e.g. dangerous stunts, reckless driving)

Risky behaviour and safeguarding: 

Risky behaviours are important to consider in safeguarding because they can directly cause harm, and may also signal that someone is experiencing abuse, exploitation, or other forms of harm. 

For example, absence from school and going missing from home is often associated with child exploitation. A child may go missing because they are being criminally exploited – they are being forced or coerced into carrying out illegal activities for a gang at the time they would usually be at school, home or youth group, for example. Similarly, a child who is not at school when parents / carers think they are, or who has been excluded and spends a lot of time out of their home alone, is at greater risk of being groomed for exploitation. 

Safeguarding Response: 

If you are concerned about someone’s safety and wellbeing, notice changes in someone’s behaviour, wellbeing, appearance, attendance, or interactions pass your concern on to your Safeguarding Lead. 

Show caring curiosity towards those displaying risky behaviours. If you work with children or young people, have age-appropriate conversations about the dangers of such behaviours. 

If you are a Safeguarding Lead and risky behaviour suggests a child, young person, adult at risk, or their carers may need further support, follow your usual referral process.

While taking risks can be part of growing up, stay alert to behaviours that are unusual for their age or involve repeated risky situations with little parental concern. In these cases, follow your organisation’s safeguarding procedures. Statutory agencies may offer early help or intervention to prevent escalation.