The safety of Western Australian children and the responsibility of organisations to ensure that is a priority are being highlighted during National Children's Week, which runs from 22-30 October.
Children's Week is observed annually across Australia and is dedicated to celebrating children and promoting the Rights of the Child as proclaimed by the United Nations in 1954.
It reminds people of the responsibility to advocate for children as citizens and for their right to a positive childhood.
Meerilinga Children and Community Foundation has been the convener of Children's Week in WA since 1985, the first year it was celebrated in Australia.
This year, the Department of Communities provided $15,000 in funding to Meerilinga to help administer the Children's Week 2022 Community Grant Program which provides small grants for not-for-profit organisations, community groups and local governments to hold Children's Week events in regional and remote WA.
Children's Week coincides with the Child Safe Organisations campaign, which raises awareness and support for organisations that promote children's wellbeing and prevent harm to young people by implementing the National Principles.
The ten National Principles have been committed to by National, State and Territory governments and stem from recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. While not mandatory, the principles provide a nationally consistent approach to creating cultures within organisations that improve child safety.
The Royal Commission emphasised that children and young people, parents, carers, and families should feel confident that organisations working with children provide safe environments in which children's rights, needs and interests are met.
More information about the National Principles can be found here.
More information about Children's Week can be found here.
As stated by Community Services and Child Protection Minister Simone McGurk:
"Children's Week champions the rights for all children to be able to enjoy a full, happy and safe childhood.
"I'd like to thank Meerilinga for its hard work making Children's Week such a special celebration in towns and communities right across WA.
"The State Government is committed to supporting the development of child safe organisations. Organisations that have interactions with children should be safe and friendly for young people.
"Board and committee members, chief executives, directors, and managers are responsible for creating and maintaining a culture that ensures the prevention of child abuse.
"Leaders must ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people is at the forefront of their organisation's culture, activities and services."
