Safe Futures Hub - Using practice-based knowledge to prevent and respond to childhood sexual violence

PbK reflects knowledge gained through practice, reflection and real-world engagement. PbK also includes tacit knowledge—insights that practitioners develop through experience and intuition, even when not fully articulated or written down. Practice-based knowledge is often led by those directly engaged in prevention and response.

Context-specific: PbK is shaped by the specific social, cultural, and institutional realities of the contexts in which it develops. It should never be shared or understood detached from its environment.

Dynamic and evolving: PbK is not static. It is continually refined through reflection and real-world experience, adapting to challenges, shifting needs, and emerging patterns.

Shared through diverse and accessible formats: PbK can be shared in many ways, including oral sharing, annual reports, videos, blogs, case studies, podcasts and other structured or unstructured formats (see Using and sharing PbK). It may also be shared in the form of grey literature, particularly when these reflect insights gained through direct engagement and practice.

Synthesised through reflection and patterns: PbK moves beyond isolated anecdotes to identify broader themes and insights. In some instances, individual experiences—especially those that reveal overlooked dynamics or challenge dominant narratives—remain valuable sources of knowledge. They may shed light on gaps in response, deepen understanding of complex cases, or spark shifts in frontline practice (see the Background Paper including examples such as France’s butterfly mailboxes).

Ethically grounded: As with any knowledge form, PbK can cause harm if not approached ethically. Ethical PbK involves ensuring consent, safety, confidentiality, transparency, mutual well-being and accurate ownership. This often requires PbK-specific, context sensitive and reflective approaches, rather than rigid standards

Refined through reflection and peer review: Instead of traditional academic peer review, PbK is strengthened through practice-appropriate processes such as: • Ethical safeguards to prevent harm and misrepresentation • Peer discussions and review within and across organisations • Wherever possible, triangulation with programme data, participant feedback, evaluation findings, or lived and academic expertise