A bit of a heavier topic, but I just completed my annual child protection training for work, as well as for my church, and it was National Child Protection week in Australia last week. I'm just wondering what are the experiences in other countries around making places safe for children, especially in areas that have had issues with abuse in the past, like schools, churches, scouts etc.
Do you have mandatory training? Does it get spoken about openly? Are children made aware of their own rights? Would love to hear a world view!
This post may include affiliate links.
In Australia, everyone who works in education has to have a working with children check that has to be renewed every 5 years (or have the relevant teaching registration). They also undergo a national police check and have to do a mandatory annual child protection training certificate. Similar requirements are needed to work with people with disabilities. Organisations where people come into contact with children also require a working with children's check and have other requirements for child protection training. This includes churches, sports groups, scouts Australia and other organisations. This training also sets out how to ensure children are made aware of their rights, and how people can report suspicions of breaches of child safety. The aim is for everyone to work together to protect all children and vulnerable people in our communities.
Also interesting to note, as well as sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and neglect, exposure to family violence is considered abuse. Children may not be the subject of physical, sexual or emotional abuse by family, but seeing or hearing it happening to other family members can impact them as well.
