This national Children's Week, Australians are invited to stand alongside famous faces in filling a stadium to raise vital funds and awareness for children and families impacted by abuse and neglect.
NRL great Darren Lockyer and fitness expert Chontel Duncan are among the sporting heroes and prominent Australians getting behind this year's Act for Kids Stadium of Hope campaign.
Last year, more than 42,000 children in Australia were confirmed to have experienced abuse or neglect* – that's the size of a packed crowd at an iconic sporting venue like Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.
The award-winning campaign from national child protection organisation Act for Kids invites families, businesses and communities to purchase virtual seats via the website and help fill the Stadium of Hope in a united show of support.
After an incredible debut last year, the Stadium of Hope is back and bigger than ever in 2025 for a powerful cause: to shine a light on child protection and give kids the support they need to heal.
Fitness expert, sports nutritionist and campaign champion Chontel Duncan said the struggles she faced as a child inspired her to get involved.
"If you want safety for your child, you should want safety for every child," she said.
This year's campaign is encouraging families to support other families who rely on the generosity of others.
"Every family can play a part and by standing together, we can make a huge difference."
The mother of five praised the concept of the campaign in using stadium seats to highlight the scale of child maltreatment in Australia.
"Knowing that each seat could be filled by a child impacted by trauma, it's gut-wrenching," she said.
"When people think of the Stadium of Hope, I want them to picture every single one of these seats filled, but not with kids going through trauma and fear, but with kids who are safe, who are smiling, and who are allowed to just be kids."
Act for Kids CEO Dr Katrina Lines said all money raised from the campaign would fund the organisation's life-changing therapy and support services for children and families.
"Through Act for Kids' Integrated Therapy Model, children receive wrap-around support from psychologists, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists who work together to address the effects of trauma and support kids to go on and lead happy lives," Dr Lines said.
"When you take your seat in the Stadium of Hope, you're helping kids through some of the toughest times of their lives and giving them every chance to heal and thrive.
"We want everyone to get behind this and cheer on children who really deserve to have a safe and happy childhood."
Stadium of Hope kicks off on Friday 17 October ahead of the start of Children's Week 2025 (18 October to 26 October).
Tickets cost $10 each or $40 for a family and can be purchased via the website: www.stadiumofhope.com.au
Children's Week is a nationwide celebration shining a light on the rights of children as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
Coordinated by the Children's Week Council of Australia, the event inspires communities across the country to recognise, listen to, and celebrate every child.
*Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2025). Child protection. Retrieved from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/child-protection/child-protection-system-in-australia
