Kids College supports NAPCAN child protection week in our village that it takes to raise a child

by | Aug 26, 2024 | QA 2 Children's Health and Safety, QA 6 Collaborative partnerships with families and communities | 0 comments

Kids College supports NAPCAN child protection week in our village that it takes to raise a child

At Kids College we view ourselves as not just your child’s childcare but as valued members of your family and our little community. We are with you in the all important journey of raising our generation of little Australians.

No child is an island alone. Each child needs to be seen as a whole child with varying outside influences to take into account.

National Child Protection Week is all about celebrating the many ways – big and small – that everyone in the community can make a difference in the life of a child.

The need to put children first has been recognised time and time again as an important pillar for boosting the wellbeing of all children in Australia. Putting children first means prioritising the safety and wellbeing of children.

To raise thriving children, Australian parents need support. Children thrive when parents have the support they need. Raising thriving healthy children is all-important and building young brains takes work. It is like building a house from the foundations up. When we interact with children, we are building brains. Conversations are a key part of engaging the whole community in caring for children. For Kids College it is not just inside our building but outside outside our  walls through facebook and through our articles on our website we are part of the community.

NAPCAN’s Statement of Commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities

“Around the world, indigenous peoples have experienced colonisation, cultural oppression, forced assimilation, and absorption into a global economy with little regard for their autonomy or wellbeing. These profound transformations have been linked to high rates of depression, alcoholism, violence and suicide in many communities, with the most dramatic impact on youth.” Kimayer, Tait & Simpson 2009, p3

To all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, NAPCAN pledges a commitment to

  • walk alongside you to create stronger communities that can protect and nurture your
  • families and children. We acknowledge the suffering (past and present), we value your
  • cultural wisdom and we will listen to your voices.

Key messages from NAPCAN

To raise thriving children, Australian parents need support. Children thrive when parents have the support they need.

  • For healthy development, children need life to be on an even keel. But for families experience poverty and stress, raising children is like sailing in rough waters. Helping parents with counselling, quality child care and financial support makes sure that they have the lighthouses and safe harbours that they need to navigate these rough waters.
  • To develop in healthy and positive ways, children need life to be stable, even when families face rough times. Just as a strong skipper learns to be adaptable and to seek help when they need it, we can help parents to navigate life’s storms.
  • Raising thriving healthy children is all-important and building young brains takes work. Parents need support to help children develop the skills they need.
  • Raising thriving children is like building a house from the foundations up. When they interact with their children, parents are building brains. We need better policies to support parents to help children to learn and grow from the earliest days onwards.
  • Australia’s children thrive when our policies and programs support parents. We need to help all children develop healthily, especially when families experience tough times.

    Overarching message: ‘Every child in every community needs a fair go’

  •  

  • This year National Child Protection Week will continue to champion the message ‘Every child in every community needs a fair go’. 

    This message captures the essence of National Child Protection Week which aims to promote a safe and supported life for every child, now and into the future. 

    Many of our supporters may choose to continue to focus on this overarching message. However, many of our partners tell us that they value having a fresh annual theme to focus their local conversations each year.

    So…. to build on last year’s theme of ‘Where we start matters’, this year’s theme will be: ‘Every conversation matters’.

    2024 theme: ‘Every conversation matters’

  •  

    In 2024, the National Child Protection Week message that ‘Every child in every community needs a fair go’ will be complemented with the theme ‘Every conversation matters’.

    Conversations are powerful tools to keep children and young people safe and well.

    Conversations can help us understand issues, craft solutions, value community knowledge, and build the brains and social connections of children and young people.

    Conversations between
    …children and their caregivers matter (from the very earliest days)
    …children and their peers matter
    …families with teachers, doctors, and other professionals matter
    …friends or neighbours matter

    …decision-makers and the communities they serve matter.

    And, of course, conversations in the public realm and media matter…

    So this National Child Protection Week we invite you to speak up – and speak together – about what needs to change for every child in every community to have a fair go.

    This theme provides a platform to:

    • engage in important conversations,
    • promote the value of conversations, and
    • equip us to have conversations that keep kids safe.

    NAPCAN week 2024

    2024 National Child Protection Week Posters



  • Each year we produce posters to promote National Child Protection Week, in collaboration with Indigenous Artists. This year the artwork you see on the left poster has been created by Karina Jeffrey, a proud contemporary Aboriginal artist from Darwin in the Northern Territory. Karina embodies the spirit of cultural expression through her vibrant and evocative creations. As a Woolwonga, Uwanwul woman, Karina draws inspiration from her rich heritage, infusing traditional elements with a contemporary flair.

    Central to this artwork are the hands that represent the children of Australia, and our
    need to provide care, protection and support.

How Kids College are playing our part for  children

Children thrive in strong well-connected communities where everyone plays a part in supporting families.

We believe that everyone can help create great environments for children (i.e. where people are friendly, where children feel safe and valued, and where parents can get the support that they need).

To play our part we aim to:-

  • Be positive role models for children.
    Welcome children with a smile, and consider their needs and views.
  • Consider the impact of product placement on children and young people.
  • Connect with our local community.
  • Speak up if we see dangers or inappropriate behaviour towards a child or young person.
  • Have family-friendly work conditions for parents.
    Ensure that everyone of all ages feel safe and respected.

Children need strong communities

What we know

Children thrive when their families get the support they need.

Families do best when they are part of connected communities with access to formal and informal support.

Parenting can be like navigating waters. Everyone may experience bad weather from time to time but, with lighthouses and safe harbours, we can continue our journey.

We can all help to be part of the lighthouses and safe harbours that families need.

How you can be a safe harbour

  • Smile and say hi to the people in your local neighbourhood. Children feel safer when they know the people in their community.
  • Be a good listener. Sometimes people just want to talk and feel listened to.
  • Be kind and supportive to parents rather than judging or being competitive. Encourage people to seek support if they need it.
  • If you see a family that is facing challenges, it is important that they get help as soon as possible before the problem gets bigger. You may need to ask advice from an expert about what to do, especially if you suspect that the children are at risk of harm.
  • Swap phone numbers with other families and let them know if you are doing something they could join in with e.g. going to the park to play.
  • Offer help and accept offers of help. (People don’t offer help unless they mean it, so it’s ok to say ‘yes’!).
  • Take a moment to think about children in your school or community who might need extra support and how you might be able to help. Being kind and respectful, being a good role model, and offering practical help such as lifts or meals, are a great start.
  • You may not always feel like it, but connecting with your community is good for everyone. Joining playgroups, parenting groups or sports clubs will help you and your children to have fun and meet people.
  • Check in with your friends from time to time if you know they are busy looking after children. Sometimes a friendly message can be a huge help to a family.

Tips for talking with children about personal safety

What we know

Children have the right to feel able to speak up, and to be listened to, respected and believed.

When we “tune into” children in everyday situations about even small worries, children are more likely to trust us and feel comfortable to tell us if something big is wrong.

Speaking regularly to children about their safety is a powerful way to build open communication with them.

It is always the responsibility of adults to keep children safe from harm – child abuse is never a child’s fault.

Article 12 of the United National Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children have the right to have a say in matters that affect them, and for adults to listen and take it seriously.

Tips for parents and caregivers

  • Help children to identify trusted adults (both within the family and outside) they can talk to, if they are worried, upset, or don’t feel safe. Create a list together. Make sure the trusted adults know they are on your child’s list.
  • Remind children that they can talk to you or a trusted adult about anything, no matter how big or small their worry might be.
  • Talk to children about how they know when they feel safe or unsafe. Help them to listen to their early warning signs (how their body feels), and to trust their feelings and instincts.
  • Use everyday activities (such as preparing meals and snacks, going for walks, playing, shopping) as opportunities for conversations. If children are used to having lots of communication, it can make it easier to talk when big or tricky issues come up.
  • Be open to talking about all kinds of feelings, including anger, joy, frustration, fear and anxiety. This helps children to develop a ‘feelings vocabulary’.
  • Show children that you can respond sensitively to negative emotions as well as positive ones when they express their anger, embarrassment, sadness or fear.
  • Don’t rush into problem-solving. Your child might just want you to listen, and to know that their feelings and point of view matter to someone.

Example of how Kids College is thinking of safety for our community is our SAFETY HOUSE



Kids College is a ‘Safety House’

Kids College are proudly part of the Safety House campaign. This means we are open to help children if they are feeling threatened or unsafe. All of our staffing team have working with children checks, are trained in Protective Behaviours and have mandatory reporting training. We are proud to be helping our community.

What do Safety House people do?

The role of the Safety Householder is to assist young children in need of help by just being a “Good Neighbour” to them.  Making them feel safe and supported and helping them to get in touch with their parents, school or whatever other help they might need.

In non-emergency situations such as bullied, frightened or lost children, the Safety House person will contact the child’s parents or school whilst reassuring and calming the child.  In emergency situations the Safety House person will call the child’s parents and the Police or emergency services whilst giving support and protection to the child.

For information on how your household could join the safety house campaign go to

http://www.safetyhousewa.org.au

Kids College Philosophy

‘It takes a whole village to raise a child’ and Kids College values our partnership with parents and our community that takes pride in our position as our children’s home away from home, ensuring our families and children build a strong sense of belonging to the kids College family.’

National Quality Standards 

2.2.3 Management, educators and staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities to identify and respond to every child at risk of abuse or neglect.

6.2.3. The service builds relationships and engages with its community

Kids College Family 

At Kids College Childcare we work each day embedding our values and philosophy into each facet of what we do. We continually improve our practices by critically reflecting and engaging in meaningful relationships with our community and for this we need your support and input.

Make sure to follow Kids College Childcare on facebook, watch for our regular emails and keep an eye on our Kids College website. Join our Kids College family community and share in our vision of creating the very best childcare where children experience love, laughter and learning every day. You can reach us on nikki@kidscollege.com.au 

With love, laughter and learning from your friends in the 
‘village it takes to raise a child’
Teacher Jen and the Kids College Childcare family

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