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This article describes the development of a community work project which aims to address issues relating to the safety of children within their communities. The project's work is underpinned by an ecological theory of child abuse and embraces a community development approach. The approach aims to engage local communities in defining issues relevant to them and in identifying strategies for addressing these issues. The project has engaged in a mixture of direct service delivery, influencing and networking activities and 'community capacity building' activities. As the project has developed, the remit of its work has become increasingly defined by local people. Market research was undertaken to promote an understanding of the things that children and parents felt affected children's safety locally. A community conference was organized to promote awareness about the issues that were identified and to engage local policy-makers and professionals in discussing potential solutions with community members. A youth forum has been established to enable young people to influence local decision-making about issues that affect their safety and well-being within the community. The community development approach is seen as being effective in helping young people to influence their environment and in reducing vulnerability through promoting self-esteem.

Narratives ascribe meaning to individual experience and life events through a process of storytelling. Storytelling provides a context for understanding illness and health by mirroring life back to the self while at the same time disseminating personal inner thoughts of the storyteller out to the wider world.