What this section is about
This is extremely important for mobility. Include road safety, bolting, absconding, anxiety, refusal, danger awareness, crowds, public transport and unfamiliar places.
Avoid saying
- They do not like going out.
- They run off sometimes.
- They are bad near roads.
Better ways to explain
- My child has poor danger awareness and requires one-to-one supervision outdoors.
- My child may bolt or flee when overwhelmed.
- They cannot safely complete journeys without adult support.
Example wording
My child cannot safely complete outdoor journeys without constant adult supervision. They have poor road safety awareness, may bolt when overwhelmed and do not reliably respond to instructions to stop. Busy or unfamiliar environments can cause panic, refusal, meltdown or attempts to flee.
Evidence that helps
- Incident logs
- School transport concerns
- Risk assessments
- Parent diary
- Reports of absconding
- Police/community incidents, if any
Common mistakes
- Saying "they can walk"
- Forgetting danger awareness
- Forgetting bolting
- Forgetting public transport
- Forgetting unfamiliar journeys
- Forgetting emotional distress outdoors
Part of the Bright Steps Ultimate Guide. For the full interactive walkthrough with printable templates, sign in and visit the DLA Guide.