Child Protection Week 2-6 September – celebrating children!

Celebrating children in all their wonderful diversity is a key safeguarding strategy. Why? A number of reasons:
– it sends strong messages to staff and the community that the wellbeing of children is a core value of the organisation
– it goes to creating psychological safety in organisations – where children see themselves as valued, they will feel safer to let us know if something is concerning them
– recognising and celebrating diversity helps children to understand that they are entitled to feel safe and have their individual needs respected
– recognising and celebrating diversity creates safer spaces for children to tell us if they have a concern and recognises there might need to be a range of mechanisms for children to tell us something is wrong
– child safe spaces should also aim to be child friendly and recognising things like Child Protection Week can contribute to that.

If you aren’t already doing something to mark Child Protection Week in your organisation, here are some ideas that could be quickly pulled together: 
– arrange a staff morning tea to talk about safeguarding – not just reporting but prevention and detection
– talk about your approach to safeguarding in your newsletters or other materials so your clients know you take it seriously
– invite children you are working with to participate in an art competition with the theme of “what makes me feel safe”

This week, BBSafe has the opportunity to connect with a range of organisations, including:
– presenting on safeguarding culture at a Queensland schools event
– attending Remembrance Day for Forgotten Australians and Care Leavers 
– presenting to health practitioners on safeguarding responsibilities
– presenting to not for profits Boards and Management Committees on safeguarding responsibilities at the Board table
– working with a national community of practice on trauma informed aged care for Forgotten Australians and Care Leavers
– presenting to safeguarding leads from a national flexi schools organisation
– delivering our BBSafe free Safeguarding Masterclass webinar – it is not too late to register – https://events.humanitix.com/bbsafe-child-protection-week-free-webinar-or-safeguarding-masterclass 

– attending Child Protection Week dinner with colleagues and friends to mark the amazing work that goes on in the child protection and child safe organisation spaces
– talking with a range of other organisations about how they can deliver trauma informed care and improved safeguarding for children and vulnerable adults. 

It is a privilege to do the work we do and to work alongside people with lived experience and other passionate safeguarding advocates.

Join us for the Safeguarding Masterclass if you can, and feel free to share this newsletter and the invitation with colleagues.