Staying safe if you’re running away

If you are going to run away or have run away, it is very important to stay as safe as you possibly can. If you have somewhere to go that you would be safe like a friend’s or relative’s house then that is probably the best option, or if you don’t have that as an option, try getting somewhere you have shelter such as a hospital where there are also people around which means you will not be alone.

Try to stay in areas that are well-lit with lots of people around. If you find yourself in a situation where you are somewhere that doesn’t have many people or there are people who make you feel unsafe around then you can call the Police and they can come and get you – you won’t be in trouble for calling them, the most important thing is your safety. Make sure you stop and think carefully about how you are going to get to the place you’re going to – will you be safe getting there? Do you have everything that you might need with you? It’s easy to forget important things such as warm clothes, medication, food, drink, money, your phone, your phone charger…

Running away is never a completely safe thing to do, but by thinking about what you are doing and what you might need to do could help keep you a lot safer than you would have been.