National Children’s Week 2021
It’s National Children’s Week! This week is all about celebrating children’s talents, skills, achievements and, importantly, their rights.
The Theme for 2021 is based on Article 15 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – ‘Children have the right to choose their own friends and safely connect with others’.
As the National Office for Child Safety celebrates National Children’s Week, it is timely to reflect on our work and how it is making a difference to the lives of Australian children.
To help keep children safe, the National Office for Child Safety, is overseeing the development of the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse. The National Strategy was a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, and will consider child abuse in all settings including in institutions, within families, and online. The National Strategy will be released later this week.
On Thursday 21 October 2021, Prime Minister Scott Morrison delivered a speech in Parliament to mark the third anniversary of the National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. This speech outlined key progress made against recommendations of the Royal Commission and upcoming work to keep improving the safety of Australia’s children. You can read the full speech on the Prime Minister’s website.
This week, the National Office for Child Safety will also be wearing red and joining efforts around the country to commemorate the ‘Day for Daniel’ on Friday 29 October 2021 — a day of action to raise awareness of child safety, protection, and harm prevention—and remember Daniel Morcombe. On this day, we encourage parents, carers, and educators to start a conversation with children and young people about personal safety.
Visit the National Office for Child Safety website to sign up to the newsletter, to stay up to date on the release of the National Strategy and learn more about the ongoing work of the National Office.