News
4 September, 2024
Raise voice to protect our kids
Queenslander's are urged to focus on the safety and wellbeing of children during this year’s Child Protection Week (from September 1).
More than 60 per cent of Australians are believed to have experienced maltreatment in their childhood, according to the nationally recognised Australian Child Maltreatment Study.
The study also found that 32 per cent of Australians under 18 experienced physical abuse in childhood, 28.5 per cent experienced child sexual abuse, 30.9 per cent experienced emotional abuse, and 8.9 per cent experienced neglect.
A shocking 39.6 per cent experienced exposure to domestic violence. Bravehearts, an Australian child protection not-for-profit organisation with a branch in Caboolture, shared some insight on the severity of child abuse in Australia.
“There are many misconceptions about child sexual abuse, but the most common one is that it’s not a major problem in this country when, in fact, it is a national crisis,” they said.
“One in four Australian children experience child sexual abuse.”
Child Protection Week aims to spread awareness of child harm and neglect through community engagement events that can be found across the Somerset and Moreton Bay regions.
Chair of Queensland Child Protection Week, Rachael Anderson emphasised the importance of everybody’s involvement in promoting the protection of children.
“People probably think there’s child protection workers out there that do that job, so they don’t have to to worry about it, but the key message of child protection week is that protecting children is everybody’s business,” she said.
“When you see something of concern, it’s about raising your voice.”
While the prevention of child harm and neglect is crucial, Child Protection Week is also an opportunity to acknowledge the people who work professionally to keep Australian children safe.
“Our hardworking child safety staff and dedicated non-government agencies work every day to keep vulnerable children and young people safe,” a spokesperson from the Department of Child Safety told The Sentinel.
“The week is also a chance to shine a spotlight on the foster carers, frontline workers and advocates who all work tirelessly to protect our most vulnerable children and young people.”
Ms Anderson said that the events held during Child Protection Week serve to bring awareness of child protection issues to local communities.
“The fact that throughout the state of Queensland this week, we have more than a hundred events, that’s more than a hundred opportunities for the key messages of Child Protection Week to be shared,” Ms Anderson said.
Residents from the Somerset and Moreton Bay are encouraged to attend local events, volunteer their time and spread awareness of child protection issues.
There are a number of events being held across the region in support of Queensland Child Protection Week, including:
Community garden launch at Goodstart Early Learning Woodford on Friday, September 6;
Coast2Bay Family Celebration at Inflatable World, Caboolture on Saturday, September 7;
Family Fun Day at 9 Northshore Drive, Burpengary on Saturday, September 7;
Child Protection Week presentation at St Eugene College on Tuesday, September 3.
For more information on the protection of children, please visit the Queensland Child Protection Week website.
