How to keep children and young people safe

Child abuse is preventable, and all adults have a responsibility to help protect children and young people. The safety of children and young people should always be a priority. This means listening to children and young people, and valuing their views, experiences and participation.

We all have a role to play

Every adult in Australia has an important role in creating a safe environment for children and young people.

Steps we can all take to create safer environments for children and young people include:

• respecting children and young people and listening to their views and voices
• talking to children and young people about their rights, including their rights to speak up and make a complaint when they feel unsafe or uncomfortable
• ensuring the organisations we engage with promote a culture of child safety and wellbeing, including by implementing the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations
• talking to children in an age appropriate way about body boundaries and understanding and using the correct names for body parts
• understanding what child sexual abuse is and where it occurs
• recognising when a child may be at increased risk, and how we can increase protection
• recognising signs and indicators of child sexual abuse, including how a child or young person may behave, talk or change
• understanding what grooming is and how to prevent it
• knowing what to do if you think a child or young person is, or is at risk of, being sexually abused
• believing and responding to any direct, indirect or suspected disclosure of child sexual abuse.

Helpful resources

Our website contains a number of resources designed to keep children and young people safe, including:

• guidance on having conversations about child sexual abuse with the people in your life
• resources to teach body safety
• the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations – 10 principles that set out a national approach to creating organisational cultures and practices that promote children’s safety and wellbeing
• Keeping Our Kids Safe for organisations engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and communities
• resources for organisations engaging with children and young people with disability
• Speak up and make a complaint for resources to help children and young people understand their right to speak up when they feel unsafe, unhappy or unfairly treated
• the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse 2021-2030 for information about what we’re doing to keep children and young people safe, including the Guide to the National Strategy for children and young people.

We also have an online safety page with information and advice about keeping children and young people safe online.

Visit the Australian Childhood Foundation website for resources that can help build your ability and confidence to protect children. Their resources include programs designed to support parents to build strong and nurturing relationships with their children.