This week is National Child Protection Week and the City of Casey wants the community to know that Council is committed to keeping all children in our city safe.
In support of the annual week, your local Councillors are participating in White Balloon Day on Friday 6 September and their united message could not be clearer; protecting children from harm is a shared responsibility for everyone in our community.
"We're asking all Casey residents to join us in making the pledge to protect our kids this White Balloon Day," said City of Casey Mayor Councillor Amanda Stapledon.
"It's a gesture that costs nothing but shows the Federal Government we are serious and passionate about child protection.
"As a Council we recognise that protecting children and preventing and responding to child abuse is an organisation-wide responsibility.
"We are serious about maintaining an empowering child safe culture and we recently adopted our revised Child Safety Policy, which was developed through consultation with the community."
The Policy helps to inform the implementation of the Victorian Child Safe Standards across Council's programs and services, where protecting children and preventing and responding to child abuse is embedded in the everyday thinking and practice of all Councillors, employees, contractors and volunteers.
"The City of Casey is leading the way in local government, putting the Victorian Child Safe Standards into practice and we are proud of the work done to date," said Cr Stapledon.
"We've trained thousands of staff, contractors and volunteers, established and streamlined reporting procedures, reviewed and improved our recruitment practices and sought and implemented advice from expert organisations such as Child Wise, which are just a few steps on our journey.
"All children or young people who attend services, programs and events delivered by, and in spaces owned or managed by the City of Casey, have the right to feel and be safe.
"They say it takes a village to raise a child and the same goes for protecting them. We're asking our city to join us this White Balloon Day - Friday 6 September 2019 - to stand together to protect children and young people."
To get involved visit whiteballoonday.com.au to make the pledge and support this initiative by posting a photo to social media holding up your hand with 'Protect Kids' written on it and use the hashtags: #WhiteBalloonDay #ProtectKids.
