Children are happy when they feel safe. When growing up, children and young people need to feel safe and loved. This allows them to thrive and be confident in themselves. As part of this, they need the chance to play and explore, have a say in decisions that affect them and access things like food, shelter and healthcare. By helping children feel safe, we create a good environment for immediate and ongoing learning.
Queensland Child Protection Week occurs each year in September and is all about making child protection a priority for everyone. Adults play an important role in maintaining the safety and wellbeing of children.
Understanding the rights of children means that we can identify when the rights of children are being violated or ignored by others and taking action. The best way that you can do this is by listening to children and young people and taking appropriate measures to support their safety and wellbeing.
As per the Guidelines from the Queensland Human Rights Commission, all children have the right to:
- Recognition and equality before the law
- Live and grow up healthy
- Have a say in decisions that affect them
- Protection from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
- Freedom from forced work
- Freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief
- Participation in public life
- Privacy and reputation
- General cultural rights (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children have specific cultural rights)
- Know where they come from
- Be cared for and have a home
- Humane treatment when deprived of liberty
- A fair hearing
- Education, play and cultural activities
- Health services.
History of Child Protection Week
The history of Child Protection Week stems from more than 30 years ago. In 1989, world leaders made a historic commitment to the world’s children by adopting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Thus, becoming an international agreement on child rights. The Convention separates childhood from adulthood and lasts 18 years.
Childhood is a special time for children to learn, play, develop and grow with dignity. The Convention has become the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history and has helped make a positive and real difference to the lives of many children.
As part of the Queensland Child Protection Week Committee, Anglicare and members of the Committee are committed to:
- Raising awareness of issues surrounding child protection;
- Supporting and recognising those involved in providing ‘best practice’ training and opportunities to exchange ideas and information; and
- Acknowledging advancements that contribute to better outcomes for children, especially those who’ve been harmed or are at risk.
How else can we keep children safe?
A group of children and young people and four other organisations gathered together to discuss how we can work together, as a community, to support and guide our youth. There was also a sense of celebration for carers and all those who offer extensive care to young people in out of home care. The discussion was captured in a touching video to acknowledge Child Protection Week in Queensland.
Jesse is a young person who has experienced parental separation and explained the ripple effects it had on him and his family. He said that he felt lucky and privileged about having other family around to guide and support him, even though it was not directly from his parents. This gave him encouragement.
These sentiments are echoed by Bryan Smith, Queensland Foster and Kinship Care Executive Director. “Child safety is about being part of a community and awareness of the needs of children and young people, especially those who have suffered trauma. By educating and equipping the community, the better the resources our young people are provided with and the better respect for them being little people in this world,” Bryan said.
In summary and to learn more
If you would like to learn more about our commitment to young people and keeping them safe, as part of being a child safe organisation, please click here. We’re committed to adhering to the 10 National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. This values young people and upholding their rights. This preventing them from harm and responding to concerns relating to their safety in a timely and ethical manner.