PBI's work rests on two interconnected pillars
The Central Theme: "We all have the right to feel safe",
and the Universal Protective Behaviours Psychosocial Framework that guides how those rights are practised.
“We all have the right to feel safe all the time” underpins every aspect of Universal Protective Behaviours training. It affirms that safety isn’t a privilege for certain situations or individuals, and is in fact a constant, non‑negotiable right. This theme helps participants recognise when they feel safe and when they don’t, to identify internal warning signs, and to decide which type of support might be needed.
The Psychosocial Framework of Universal Protective
Behaviours has a structured framework that helps people translate the central theme into daily practice. The framework has three key elements:
Language of Safety: A relational communication model built around four core components:
Quality, Clarity, Shared Meaning and Ownership. When all four elements of the Language of Safety are taken into account, we can say we are observing a ‘language of safety’ and putting into practice our right to feel safe with the responsibility to respect others' right to feel safe at the same time. This model is both internal and external and includes both the content (what) as well as the process (how) of our language.helps individuals discuss safety, set boundaries and negotiate needs. By learning to articulate feelings and expectations, participants create environments where psychological and emotional safety are actively maintained.
Unwritten Rules: These refer to implicit social norms and expectations that shape behaviour but are rarely discussed. In PBI training, participants learn to recognise how these “rules” influence their decisions and interactions. Understanding unwritten rules empowers people to question harmful norms, make conscious choices and advocate for safer practices.
Feelings, Thoughts and Behaviours: PBI emphasises the interplay between emotions, thoughts and actions. Recognising how feelings and thoughts drive behaviour helps participants respond proactively rather than reactively in uncertain situations. By naming emotions and examining thought patterns, individuals can choose behaviours that promote their own safety and the safety of others. By integrating the right to feel safe with this psychosocial framework, Protective Behaviours International equips individuals and organisations to build cultures where safety is consciously understood, communicated and protected.
A little bit more about Us
The Late Di Margetts
We pay our respects to the late, great Di Margetts. Di mentored so many people around the world on the Protective Behaviours journey, and loved to remind us: "we can have loads of fun doing serious work."
Di dedicated so much of her life to sharing her passion for Protective Behaviours and never wore the shoes of the PB Police! She firmly believed there wasn't a conflict in the world that couldn't be resolved through the Language of Safety and did all she could to truly live an adventurous life.
Our International Partners
Partners in the Protective Behaviours Training Partnership have been working with the PB process for over 25 years, developing resources, implementing PBs within their workplaces and training others to use PBs in either an agency or independent role.
We agree all training offered by Protective Behaviours Training Partnership Partners will be consistent with the PB process and use high quality materials to support learning. Training will be evaluated to indicate progress made towards meeting individual course outcomes and identify any further training requirements.
Partnership trainers have committed to holding and renewing the relevant training insurances as well as on-going peer observation, consultation and supervision in order to maintain the quality of the training offered. Please click here to learn more about The Protective Behaviours Training Partnership
PBI COMMITMENT
PBI is committed to establishing and maintaining a consistent professional training and development framework. This framework is to support individuals, groups, agencies and organisations with appropriate and unrestricted standing* who are applying aspects or the entirety of The Universal Protective Behaviours Empowerment Program.
*definition of appropriate and unrestricted standing:
Current police check and child safety screening; has not been denounced from or struck off any professional body.