This year National Child Protection Week is driving a stronger national focus
on shifting conversations into meaningful action.
Conversations can spark ideas, build understanding and encourage reflection. But meaningful change happens when those conversations lead to practical action that strengthens support for children and families.
National Child Protection Week helps turn conversation into action by bringing people across Australia together to share ideas, strengthen communities and prevent harm before it occurs. While the Week creates an important national moment, the campaign continues throughout the year, encouraging all of us to take steps that help children feel heard, valued, safe and supported.
By shifting conversation to action, we can help build communities where every child experiences real safety, care and protection.
National Child Protection Week (NCPW) brings Australians together to focus on how we can all help keep children and young people safe, supported and heard.
It is an opportunity to raise awareness of child abuse and neglect, share information and practical resources, amplify the voices of children and young people, and promote actions that strengthen families and communities and prevent harm before it occurs.
National Child Protection Week reminds us that protecting children is everyone’s business. We all have a role to play – whether we are parents, carers, community members, educators, service providers, policymakers or neighbours.
By coming together, listening to children and young people, sharing ideas and turning conversation into action, we can strengthen the communities around children and families. We can also celebrate what is already working, while continuing to build environments where every child is valued, respected and able to thrive.
Stay tuned for this year’s videos of support. In the meantime, view previous years’ messages:
NAPCAN is the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect and was founded by Rosemary Sinclair and Christine Stewart on 2 August 1987, with the support of Professor Kim Oates.
Since then, NAPCAN has grown into a national organisation working to prevent child abuse and neglect and strengthen the safety and wellbeing of children and young people across Australia.
National Child Protection Week has been an important part of NAPCAN’s work for decades, helping bring the prevention of child abuse and neglect into the national conversation and creating a focal point for communities, organisations and decision-makers across Australia.
Beyond National Child Protection Week, NAPCAN works year-round with governments, organisations, professionals, communities, families and young people. Our work includes prevention education and training, advocacy, research and evidence translation, resources, community engagement and opportunities for children and young people to influence the decisions that affect them.
At the heart of NAPCAN’s work is a commitment to prevention – strengthening the people, organisations and communities around children so that children and young people are safe, supported, valued and able to thrive.
NAPCAN acknowledges that the term “child protection”, and therefore, the campaign’s name does not resonate positively for everyone. For many First Nations communities and people with lived experience of the child protection system, these words can carry deep pain and mistrust. Our primary focus has always been prevention, supporting families, strengthening communities, and addressing the drivers of harm before it occurs. We are committed to listening, learning, and ensuring our work reflects respect, safety, and the voices of those most affected.
Instead of using the name, you can use our theme ‘Shifting Conversation to Action’ when discussing the campaign.
On social media instead of the #NCPW26 hashtag, you can use:
#ShiftingConversationToAction
#DeadlyTogether
