Listening Beyond Words: The Role of Play in Safeguarding
Di describes play as the natural language of children. For many, especially those with pre-verbal or complex trauma, verbal communication is not the primary route to expression. In therapeutic environments, play offers a space for children to act out or symbolically process their experiences without direct questioning.
“Play is the natural language of children... It follows that a child will try to make sense of or to show, often not consciously, what has happened to them in their life.”
She outlines how therapists must approach play with curiosity and without premature interpretation. Whether using puppets, props or animal-assisted activities, these tools support children to regain a sense of control, particularly where they have previously felt powerless.
Preserving Agency Within a Safeguarded Process
Another key theme is how safeguarding professionals handle disclosures. Di emphasises that while adults must act to protect children, the way this is done significantly affects a child's experience of safety and empowerment.
When a child shares a concern, she advises practitioners to avoid reactive decision-making and to involve the child in how support is offered. For example, if a concern must be reported, professionals can still ask, “How would you like to do this together?”
“What is negotiable is how we do that... We can preserve their sense of agency even while protecting them.”
This approach aligns with current Petros guidance on trauma-informed safeguarding responses, which encourage professionals to assess risk while avoiding actions that may re-traumatise children or remove their sense of control.
Faith, Culture and the Silence Around Abuse
Faith communities, while often close-knit, can sometimes make disclosure more difficult, especially when shame, secrecy or intergenerational abuse are present. Di notes that some children are raised in communities where speaking out is discouraged, or where the consequences of disclosure for the family or community are made a burden on the child.
She explains that children may also lack basic education about their bodies or their rights, especially in communities where sex education is restricted. In such cases, safeguarding professionals need to be aware of cultural dynamics without compromising on the priority of keeping children safe.
Di emphasises that regardless of faith or religion or social status, we all have a duty of care to protect children in society. And to do that, we must listen, really listen.
What You Will Learn in the Full Episode
● How play and creative therapies support communication and resilience in traumatised children
● Practical strategies for involving children in safeguarding decisions
● How faith and cultural norms can influence a child’s willingness or ability to disclose abuse
Listen to Episode 4 of Faithful Safeguarding with Di Gammage wherever you get your podcasts. Or, if you prefer to read, explore the condensed interview version in our magazine series.
