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Children thrive when we all understand how to play our part in keeping them safe and well.
There are many things that we can all do every day in all the different aspects of our lives… in our jobs, in our families, in our neighbourhoods, in our clubs or organisations, and in our social groups.
Use the headings on the left-hand side to explore ways that we can all play our part in protecting children.
AUNTS/UNCLESBe a friend to parents that you know. Offer support, reassurance and practical help if they seem to be struggling.
Be a positive role model. Children and young people learn from the people that they spend time with, so make your influence positive.
Spend time with children and young people in your life. By playing, listening and learning from them, you show them that they are important.
Create opportunities for all the children/ young people in your family to spend time together.
If possible, offer to be an emergency contact for the family. Make sure that the children/young people know that you are the emergency contact too so they feel included.
Reach out to new and young parents. It can be a tough time so keep reminding them you can help.
Think about safe and respectful ways to be an active bystander if you see an adult being inappropriate towards a child or young person.
When you see or hear of good things happening make sure you let the family know and congratulate them.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY BEING SUPPORTIVE, CARING AND LOOKING OUT FOR EACH OTHER.Download the Play Your Part factsheet for brothers/sisters.
BUSINESSES PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY SUPPORTING FAMILY FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENTS AND SPONSORING LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS.Ensure conditions of employment value parents and families. Parental and carers’ leave recognises the importance of parents having time to build relationships with newborns, to care for children and support each other. Such conditions show that you value your staff as parents as well as employees.
Have flexible, family friendly work conditions and job share available to staff who are parents and carers. Flexibility allows parents to meet the needs of their family, and better cope in times of stress.
Partner with a local community organisation or school to support children and families. For example, sponsoring a children’s sporting activity increases opportunity for families to be involved in their community.
Be family-friendly and welcome children, for example smiling at and acknowledging children through to providing a play area, that can be supervised by parents or staff, and provide baby change facilities in your business. This recognises the place of children in our society and improves families’ access to your business.
If you work with children and young people, develop policies and procedures to guide you and your employees: a child protection policy should promote wellbeing and early intervention practices, as well as be consistent with state/territory mandatory reporting legislation. Ensure and verify that all staff and volunteers engaged in child related work hold a valid Working With Children Check.
Also, a code of conduct for working with children and young people is a practical tool for promoting clear and consistent roles and behaviour. When implemented and supported consistently, these policies work to protect children, workers and the organisation.
Think about safe and respectful ways to be an active bystander if you see an adult being inappropriate towards a child or young person.
Apply for Family or Child Friendly Business Awards to have your efforts acknowledged. This will help raise the profile of child friendly businesses and increase understanding that protecting children is everyone’s business.
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for businesses.
CARERS PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY BY KEEPING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE SAFE AND PROVIDING THEM WITH A SAFE SPACE IN WHICH THEY CAN THRIVE AND GROW.Anybody who may have children in their care at some time is classified as a Carer – for example: child care workers, early childhood professionals, foster carers, friends, healthcare professionals etc.
Being a carer can be challenging, remember, it’s OK to reach out and ask for support. Accept offers of help (especially the ones where cooked meals are involved!)
Share your experiences and skills with other carers, and link in with services that can support you and the child/children you are caring for.
Discover what helps reduce your stress, and assists you to best care for the children and young people in your life.
Take time out when you feel stressed or upset – it is important to look after yourself to ensure the best safety for the child/children you look after.
Be aware of the signs of child abuse and neglect and seek help for children who are at risk and who have been traumatised.
Get involved in your community. Joining sporting and other community groups will help you, the children and young people to have fun and meet people.
Encourage and help facilitate relationships with family members where it is possible.
Listen to the child/young person and involve them in planning things. This will support their developing identity and allow you to better meet their social and emotional needs.
Make plans for enjoyable “together time” – this can help build close relationships with those in your care.
Celebrate and support the achievements, values and interests of children/young people and support them when times are tough. This will build a strong bond that is loving and safe.
Talk about safety and what being unsafe might look and feel like at home, in their community, online or at school, with children and young people. Make plans about what to do if/when they feel uncomfortable and unsafe.
Attend a child safe training course or information session that will further develop your skills, knowledge and understanding.
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for carers.
COMMUNITY WORKERS PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY SUPPORTING CARERS AND PARENTS, AS WELL AS BEING A ROLE MODEL FOR RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS.Be a positive role model, and a good influence for children and young people to learn from. Encourage young people to be positive role models and contribute to their community.
Consider the impact on children / young people when making service delivery decisions, ensure that the best interests of children and young people are at the focus of your work.
Promote youth events, support services, outreach programs and the agencies that provide them.
Encourage children/ young people to participate in their community and provide transport to reduce isolation for young people, where possible.
Talk with and listen to children you work with, and involve them in the planning of activities and program development. Make sure they are always engaged in decisions that impact on their lives.
Be approachable and youth friendly. A code of conduct for working with children and young people is a practical tool for promoting clear and consistent roles and behaviour.
Develop child/youth related policies and procedures for your workplace. Child Protection Policies should promote wellbeing and early intervention practices and be consistent with state/territory mandatory reporting legislation.
Ensure that all staff and volunteers engaged in child related work hold a valid Working With Children Check. When implemented and supported consistently, these policies work to protect children, workers and the organisation.
Build positive relationships with children as well as other community workers to help gain an informed, well-balanced perspective to give advice on improving relationships and inform best practice.
Support parents to access other services that can increase their parenting skills and knowledge.
Think about safe and respectful ways to be an active bystander if you see an adult being inappropriate towards a child or young person.
Congratulate families and young people when you see or hear good things happening.
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for community workers.
FRIENDS PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY SUPPORTING EACH OTHER.Be a good listener. Sometimes people just want to talk and feel listened to. Don’t judge.
Be interested in your friend’s life and how they are feeling about being a parent.
Offer to give your friend some ‘time out’ from the children.
Bring over a cooked meal or offer to help with some housework.
If you are really worried about your friend, and/or their children encourage them to talk to someone that may be able to help them.
Be a good listener. If a child or young person trusts you to tell you something then listen and don’t judge and believe what they tell you.
Encourage the child/young person to talk to their parents / carers if it is safe.
If you are really worried about a child/ young person encourage them to talk to someone that may be able to help and support them if appropriate. There may be situations where your concern may lead you to contacting child protection authorities and/or the police.
Listen, if your friend is upset or worried they need you to listen. Believe them and don’t judge them.
If you are really worried about your friend’s wellbeing or safety, encourage them to speak to an adult. A parent, teacher, counsellor or another adult you trust are good options. You could offer to go with your friend for extra support.
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for friends.
GRANDPARENTS PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY CARING FOR AND NURTURING FAMILIES, AS WELL AS PROVIDING SUPPORT, REASSURANCE AND LOVE.Download the Play Your Part factsheet for grandparents.
HEALTH PRACTITIONERS PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY BEING INFORMED OF THE LINKS BETWEEN ABUSE, EARLY INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION, AS WELL AS BEING ACCESSIBLE AND SUPPORTIVE OF FAMILIES WHO NEED ASSISTANCE.Share your knowledge in your community to increase awareness of child development, and how adults can support this.
Become informed on the links between abuse, early intervention and prevention. Seek out the opinions of child abuse prevention experts.
Be family-friendly by welcoming children with a smile. The provision of a play area and baby change facilities in your health centre or waiting room demonstrates the value of children and supports families’ accessing your service.
Ensure health services are accessible to isolated families by providing outreach. Advocate for free or low cost transport as a means of assistance.
Ask all parents how they’re coping and talk to them about the challenges of parenting. Support parents to improve their parenting skills. Introduce them to family support services and parenting courses. Explain that they don’t have to wait until they have problems before they can open themselves to learning more.
Share a directory of local services in your health centre and surrounding areas. By improving familiarity and simplifying processes for accessing support, families are assisted in seeking help where and when it’s needed.
Develop child focused policies and procedures for your practice, health centre or hospital. A child protection policy should promote wellbeing and early intervention practices. It should provide information on how to recognise and document the signs and symptoms of child abuse, and how to respond in accordance with state/territory mandatory reporting legislation.
A code of conduct for working with children and young people is another practical tool for promoting clear and consistent roles and behaviour. When implemented and supported consistently, these policies work to protect children, workers and the organisation.
Engage with children and young people: as well as investigating symptoms or problems, it is important to talk with young people about their experiences. By using age-appropriate language and listening to what they have to say, you will build trusting relationships.
Think about safe and respectful ways to be an active bystander if you see an adult being inappropriate towards a child or young person.
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for health practitioners.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING FREE FAMILY EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY LIFE.Create opportunities for young people to engage in community and civic life. The provision of a youth space, as well as genuine participation about issues that affect them, celebrates young people’s place in our society and helps business deliver best practice.
Offer free family events and activities for children. Community cultural events and opportunities for recreation help build connections between families and young people. Accessibility is increased when events are run free of charge.
Invite senior community leaders to speak at an event or service. Hearing about and valuing local culture and wisdom helps families learn and grow together and strengthens community bonds.
Initiate a local Child Friendly Business Award for organisations who exceed expectations in meeting the needs of children. Recognising businesses efforts helps raise the profile of children, needs of families in our society, and the role that businesses should play in their community.
Develop child related policies and procedures. A child protection policy should promote wellbeing and early intervention practices, as well as be consistent with state/territory mandatory reporting legislation. Ensure that all staff and volunteers engaged in child related work hold a valid Working With Children Check.
A code of conduct for working with children and young people is a practical tool for promoting clear and consistent roles and behaviour. When implemented and supported consistently, these policies work to protect children, workers and the organisation.
Help and support parents in continuous improvement of their parenting skills. Providing family support services and parenting courses help to overcome the challenges of parenting, and creates opportunities for support, skill development and networking with other families.
Ensure community services and events are accessible to isolated families by providing outreach programs and free or low cost transport.
Promote and support the local library as an ideal location to share information, promote quality time between parents and children and build social connections between families.
Provide opportunities for children to play and have fun: playgroup, parks, libraries, safe streets, parent-friendly parking and safe bike paths encourage play, exercise and social get-togethers amongst children, parents and families.
Share a directory of local services in the council’s facilities. By simplifying processes for accessing support, families are assisted in seeking help to raise their children.
Provide high quality, flexible and accessible child care options to allow parents to engage in the workforce or to invest in other aspects of family or community life. Consider the cost and location of services in order to meet the diverse needs of families.
Where possible, seek input about council services from senior community or family members. Valuing local culture and wisdom may improve your relationships and can help increase knowledge about community needs.
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for local government.
THE MEDIA CAN PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY CHALLENGING NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES AND REPORTING ON CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION INITIATIVES.Communicate and work with child abuse prevention organisations to develop effective responses to instances of harmful behaviour towards children and young people.
Avoid negative or unfair stereotypes of communities and cultural groups.
Convey child protection and child abuse prevention as being everyone’s business.
Promote a balanced perspective of young people. Share stories of young people who are engaged positively in their families, schools and communities.
Recognise and seek out the voice of young people in other stories, not just those that involve abuse or neglect. Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that: Children have the right to express their opinions freely, and have their opinions taken into account in matters that affect them.
Make the federal, state and local governments accountable for upholding Child Abuse and Neglect standards in terms of Australian legislation and policy.
Feature interviews with leading child abuse prevention experts when possible, so that the Australian community has a more informed public debate on prevention.
The digital media industry can partner with child abuse prevention experts to help keep all children and young people smart and safe online and offline. Working together, messages about the respectful use of technology in relationships and providing young people and children with knowledge and skills to manage their digital use can play a part in keeping them safe online and offline.
Provide details of support services when possible to encourage help seeking behaviours. Increasing families’ access to services and events can decrease their isolation and risk of child abuse.
Be aware of the impact of sexualised images of young people, remembering that children and young people are also exposed to the media.
Be a positive role model. Children and young people learn from the sources of information they are exposed to, so make your influence positive!
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for media.
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for neighbours.
PARENTS PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY SHOWING HOW TO HAVE RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS.Download the Play Your Part factsheet for parents.
PARTNERS PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY BEING GOOD ROLE MODELS WHO TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT.-Treat your partner with respect and love.
-Be a good listener and be interested in your partner’s life.
-Be aware of your behaviour and take responsibility for it – what you say and how you say it.
-Understand that there are good and hard times.
-Support and encourage your partner.
-Enjoy spending time together and time apart.
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for partners.
POLICE PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY BEING APPROACHABLE AND EDUCATING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE ON HOW TO BE SAFE.Be a positive role model and influence for children and young people to look up to.
Develop policies and procedures that convey the law in a way that any person can understand.
Child Protection Policies should promote wellbeing and early intervention practices and be consistent with state/territory mandatory reporting legislation.
When implemented and supported consistently, these policies work to protect children, workers and the organisation.
Consider the impact on children/young people when making service delivery decisions.
Develop and share a directory of local services in police stations that can support families.
Involve yourself in community events and network across sectors to build trusting relationships and develop balanced well- informed perspectives on children and young people.
Congratulate families and young people when you see or hear good things happening.
Be approachable and youth friendly.
Developing and adhering to a code of conduct for working with children and young people at your station is a practical tool for promoting clear and consistent roles and behaviour.
Think about safe and respectful ways to offer assistance if you see an adult being inappropriate towards a child or young person.
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for police.
POLITICIANS PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY BY PROMOTING CHILD PROTECTION AS A COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY AND ENDORSING FAMILY FRIENDLY POLICIES.
Be a positive role model. Be aware of your behaviour, what you say, how you say it and the way you act. Children and young people learn from the people they listen to, so make your influence positive!
Be aware that child abuse occurs across all communities and cultural groups. Promote child protection and spread the word that child abuse prevention is everyone’s business.
Follow the principle of the environmental impact model, consider the impact of all legal, policy and service delivery reform on children. Ask yourself: where are the children in this change?
Become informed on the link between abuse and prevention of abuse. Ask for briefings which include information from child abuse prevention experts and be well-informed on the latest research.
Promote a long term view to child safety and wellbeing by addressing the overloading of child protection, health, housing and education systems. Invest in prevention strategies and early intervention services to reduce the risk of families’ problems worsening over time and heading into a cycle of abuse.
Endorse family friendly policies across the workforce. Flexible work hours, job sharing and the provision of paid Parental Leave demonstrates that members of society are valued as parents as well as employees.
Implement universal home visiting to families at the birth of their first child. Support to new families at this time has been shown by the David Old’s model to prevent health and developmental problems for children.
Listen to and engage with the opinions of youth delegations. Refer to Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: Children have the right to express their opinions freely, and have their opinions taken into account in matters that affect them.
Encourage organisations that work with children and young people to develop child-safe policies and procedures. A child protection policy should promote wellbeing and early intervention practices, as well as be consistent with state/territory mandatory reporting legislation, including ensuring that all staff and volunteers engaged in child related work hold a valid Working With Children Check.
A code of conduct for working with children and young people is another practical tool for promoting clear and consistent roles and behaviour. When implemented and supported consistently, these policies work to protect children, workers and the organisation.
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for politicians.
RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY BY SUPPORTING FAMILIES AND PROMOTING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S HEALTH AND WELLBEING.Be a positive role model. Children and young people learn from the people that they spend time with, so make your influence positive.
Facilitate a youth friendly environment by creating opportunities for children and young people to engage in and be heard. This could include providing a youth space, holding a community event to showcase children’s achievements, or developing a youth action network.
Become informed on the indicators and risks of child abuse and neglect as well as preventative measures. This will increase your awareness of how to support families in your community and prevent such harm from happening.
Develop means for family networking and support groups through your communication channels such as notice boards, newsletters, online and social media or offering practical support. Reach out to families who are isolated. Be available and approachable.
Develop child related policies and procedures. Child Protection Policies should promote wellbeing and early intervention practices and be consistent with state/territory mandatory reporting legislation. A code of conduct for working with children and young people is another practical tool for promoting clear and consistent roles and behaviour. Ensure that all staff and volunteers engaged in child related work hold a valid Working With Children Check. When implemented and supported consistently, these policies work to protect children, workers and the organisation.
Support Schools in their promotion of children and young people’s safety and wellbeing. Openly encourage reviews of pastoral care systems to ensure they are meeting the needs of staff and students.
Consider the impact on children / young people when making service delivery decisions.
Be open to making connections with any child, young person or community member who needs your support regardless of cultural background or religious beliefs, to further perpetuate an environment of acceptance and tolerance.
Think about safe and respectful ways to be an active bystander if you see an adult being inappropriate towards a child or young person.
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for religious communities.
SHOPS PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING FAMILY FRIENDLY WORKING ENVIRONMENTS AND DISPLAYING COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS.Be a positive role model. Be aware of your behaviour, what you say, how you say it and the way you act. Children and young people learn from the people they listen to, so make your influence positive!
Have family friendly work conditions available to staff who are parents. Flexibility allows parents to meet the needs of their family and to cope in times of stress.
Welcome children with a smile. Consider your manner and listen to what young people say. Consider providing a play area or colouring competition in your shop to demonstrate your recognition of children and support of families’ access to your products.
Consider the impact of product placement on children and young people. Limit access to products which are a risk to physical safety (e.g. knives, chemicals), physical health (junk food) and identity development (media which includes sexualised images of young women).
Display information about community events and opportunities for recreation. Increasing access to events will support families to get involved in their community.
Partner with a local community organisation or school to support children and families. For example, sponsoring a child’s sporting activity increases opportunity for families to be involved in their community.
Think about safe and respectful ways to be an active bystander if you see an adult being inappropriate towards a child or young person.
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for shops.
Children thrive in communities that are friendly and connected. Sports and recreation clubs play a crucial role in building community and creating positive experiences for children.
Children need positive role models. You can do this by showing respect to all players, coaches, referees, volunteers and families.
Show children that they are a valued part of a community by being friendly to other club members. Knowing the names of children on their team or in their club can help to make children and young people feel like they are part of a community.
Children have the right to feel able to speak up and to be listened to, respected and believed. You can help by listening to children and young people, and asking for their views and opinions.
Importantly, always believe children if they tell you something important about their safety and wellbeing.
Find out about your club’s policies and procedures and familiarise yourself with the codes of conduct – these should be treated seriously; not just as something to tick off.
Be aware of the indicators and risks of child abuse and neglect and speak up if you are concerned about a child or family at your club.
Do your bit to help at the club. Even if you can volunteer a small amount of time, this shows children that you care, and gives you the opportunity to be part of the community.
Be available and approachable, so that families that may be isolated can feel included and involved.
Children need trusted adults who will speak out and step in if needed. Think about safe and respectful ways to speak up if you see an adult being inappropriate or unkind towards a child or young person.
Be encouraging towards all players and don’t just focus on winning.
Be aware of how you treat different genders. Are all the girls’ and boys’ teams treated fairly regardless of gender identity? Avoid phrases like ‘boys will be boys’.
Running a sports club is a big job. Be grateful to the people in your club who make it happen, particularly if they are volunteers.
Download the Sports & Recreation Clubs Tip Sheet.
TEACHERS PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR STUDENTS AND SHOWING THAT THEY RESPECT AND VALUE THEM.In the classroom:
Whole of School Approach to Child Abuse and Violence Prevention Education:
As children spend much of their time at school, classrooms are safe, structured environments that can provide child abuse and violence prevention education.
NAPCAN is involved in the implementation of child abuse prevention programs in primary and secondary schools around Australia, through the Love Bites, All Children Being Safe, and #Friends programs. Informed by this experience and also best practice standards for respectful relationships education; some of the key learning from this work includes:
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for teachers.
YOUNG PEOPLE PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY BEING A POSITIVE INFLUENCE AND STANDING UP FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IF THEY NEED SUPPORT.Be a positive role model. Children look up to those who are older than them, so make your influence positive.
Find ways to connect with other young people in your area. This might be through sport, drama, music or by spending time in your local park. Look out for new people and make them feel included and welcome.
AS A FRIEND:
-Listen: If your friend is upset or worried they most likely just need you to listen. Believing them and being there in the good times and the bad, helps them to know that you care.
-If you’re really worried about your friend’s happiness or safety, encourage them to speak to an adult. A parent, teacher, counsellor or another adult you trust are good options.
-Although talking for the first time can be hard, it can also be very helpful. If you feel like your friend needs some extra support you could offer to go with them.
-Look out for the younger children in your family, at your school or on your bus. Stand up for them or reach out if they need your support.
AS A BYSTANDER:
-If you see something that makes you feel unsafe or uncomfortable, consider who needs to know about it. Safety is an adults’ responsibility so it is best to tell an adult who you trust.
-Think about safe and respectful ways to be an active bystander if you see a child or young person being hurt in some way.
IF YOU’RE IN A RELATIONSHIP:
-Treat your partner with respect and love.
-Be a good listener and be interested in your partner’s life.
-Be aware of your behaviour and take responsibility for it, what you say, how you say it and the way you act.
-Understand that there are good times and hard times.
-Support and encourage your partner.
-Enjoy spending time together and time apart.
AS A YOUNG PERSON:
-Treat your partner with respect and love.
-Be a good listener and be interested in your partner’s life.
-Be aware of your behaviour and take responsibility for it, what you say and how you say it.
-Understand that there are good times and hard times.
-Support and encourage your partner.
-Enjoy spending time together and spending time apart.
IF YOU’RE A YOUNG CARER:
-You don’t have to do it alone, reach out for support and help.
-We all need a break so don’t be afraid to ask for one. There are services that can help or perhaps family or friends that can give you a break.
-Get some rest when you can and look after yourself.
-If you’ve got questions about your or a friend’s safety and wellbeing, the internet is one way to get some answers.
Check out: WWW.KIDSHELP.COM.AU or WWW.YOUTHBEYONDBLUE.COM
Or call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for young people.
YOUTH WORKERS PLAY THEIR PART TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY SUPPORTING THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR COMMUNITY. THEY ALSO CONTINUOUSLY ADVOCATE FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE.Be a positive role model. Be aware of your behaviour, what you say, how you say it and the way you act. Children and young people learn from the people they spend time with, so make your influence positive!
Encourage young people to be positive role models themselves and contribute to their community.
Promote youth events and support services, and support children/young people to actively participate in their community.
Reduce isolation for young people by offering outreach programs and transport.
Consider the impact on children / young people when making service delivery decisions.
Be approachable and youth friendly. Build positive working relationships with child protection workers – it creates a consistency of care and allows you to advocate for the child/young person.
Develop policies and procedures for your workplace. Child Protection Policies should promote wellbeing and early intervention practices and be consistent with state/territory mandatory reporting legislation. Ensure that you, all staff and volunteers engaged in child related work hold a valid Working With Children Check.
When implemented and supported consistently, these policies work to protect children, workers and the organisation. A code of conduct for working with children and young people is a practical tool for promoting clear and consistent roles and behaviour.
Provide a family friendly space that welcomes children, young people and parents. For example, safe play areas and baby change facilities show families they are valued.
Assist parents with accessing services that can increase their parenting skills and knowledge and/or provide them with additional support.
Think about safe and respectful ways to be an active bystander if you see an adult being inappropriate towards a child or young person.
Congratulate families and young people when you see or hear good things happening.
Value local culture and wisdom and where possible seek input from senior community or family members to improve relationships and inform best practice.
Download the Play Your Part factsheet for youth workers.
