Daniel Morcombe Foundation
Today the Daniel Morcombe Foundation is delivering a Talk Early Workshop to Brisbane Families at the Brisbane Square Library.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2016) indicates that 1 in 6 girls, and 1 in 10 boys experience abuse before the age of 15.
The average age at which children first experience sexual abuse is nine years old1. Therefore, many prevention education initiatives occur too late to be effective. This highlights the importance of personal safety education in the early years, which is backed by strong demand from parents, carers and educators.
Many people are unsure and uncomfortable speaking to this demographic about their safety. Abuse prevention does not need to be harsh or alarming for children, nor does it necessarily involve talking about sex. Equipping children to stay safe involves teaching them about their feelings; how to identify when something feels unsafe; the difference between public and private parts of the body; and the rules about touch. It is reinforcing that everyone has the right to be safe, that nothing is so awful that they cannot talk about it and that telling someone is always the right thing to do. The more that we normalise these notions for children, the safer they will be.
Denise Morcombe said “Parents and carers need to be able to have brave conversations with their children, they need to talk to them about their body parts, teach their kids the proper names for their body parts, talk to them about how they feel, teach them to recognize unsafe situations, talk to them about how to react, teach them to say no, run, scream tell someone, teach them that they have the right to be safe”
Bruce Morcombe said “Predators don’t play fair. Parents must be confident in their daily conversations with their children. By normalizing topics often considered embarrassing builds confidence and provides a resilience to lock predators out, reducing their risk of harm”
The Talk Early workshop specifically addresses the needs of parents and carers unsure about teaching personal safety for children aged 0 to 8. Parents and carers will learn about key personal safety topics and age-appropriate, positive approaches to education. They will be provided with evidence-based, tangible strategies and guides for talking to young children. All participants also receive a resource pack which will support them to implement the strategies that they have learned in their home. Participants also note valuing the chance to discuss their approach with other parents and carers and to clarify questions about safety education.
The Workshop is funded by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Trust.
