Why you should read this article:

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To be aware of the safeguarding knowledge and skills expected of health visitors

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To learn how experiential theatrical techniques can enhance learning for health visitors

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To generate ideas for your own theatrical learning scenarios

In specialist healthcare education, developing emotional intelligence, professional curiosity and cultural safety in risk assessment processes can be challenging to achieve through traditional didactic teaching. This article explores how a theatrical, simulation-based teaching approach was used with health visitor students in their safeguarding module to improve the recognition and risk assessment of suspected victims of honour-based violence. The passive-to-participatory teaching approach supported the development of students’ emotional intelligence, professional curiosity and critical thinking skills. The authors aim to show how this theatrical teaching approach could be adapted for other safeguarding scenarios and used more widely with all frontline practitioners to facilitate deeper learning.