A family support group is reminding residents that child protection is everybody’s business.
This week is Child Protection Week and Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson and Sunshine Coast Lightning’s Phumza Maweni are among those lending their support.
The local campaign, which features local youngsters and several community identities, is an initiative of the Sunshine Coast Family Support Collective, in the spirit of harnessing personal safety, resilience and the potential in our local children and young people.
“It is a campaign that has been created collaboratively by Sunshine Coast community service organisations,” co-ordinator of the collective Lisa Harrison said.
“While child protection is a core focus for them, the campaign message that ‘Child Protection is Everybody’s Business’ is a reminder that each one of us can have a role in keeping children safe.”
There is participation in the campaign by First Nations, sporting, business, and local government representatives.
Scarlett Day, 16, is fronting the campaign across all platforms.
As a multi-media effort, the campaign is designed to reach the wider community via various touch-points during the week, including television and radio placements, via social media and sunshinecoastfamilies.com.au.
The website is also hosting a photo mosaic competition, with iPads to be won.
Minister for Children Leanne Linard encouraged Queenslanders to get involved in events and activities in their area.
“Child Protection Week is celebrated across Australia every year and is a chance to acknowledge the commitment of everyone involved in child protection and highlight the important work they do,” she said.
“While COVID-19 continues to create some challenges this year, there are still plenty of opportunities for everyone to get involved with over 100 events and activities across the state.
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“Over the next week we want to see everyone helping to raise the profile of child protection so that everyone knows they have a role to play in keeping children safe.”
As part of the week, professional and volunteer child protection workers would be supported through ‘best practice’ training and a forum to exchange ideas and information.
“We will also recognise advances that have been made in child protection which will contribute to better outcomes for all children and young people into the future,” she said.
“Everyone wants to see Queensland children thriving and families supported to be the best they can be, and this week helps make sure everyone has the tools they need moving forward.
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“There has been a tremendous shift in community attitudes when it comes to child safety and we are seeing more and more people willing to stand up and take responsibility for the safety of children.”
Child Protection Week in Queensland is co-ordinated by the Child Protection Week Committee under the auspicing body of Act for Kids. The initiative promotes the value of children and focuses attention on the issues of child abuse and neglect. See more at childprotectionweek.org.au/about/.
The Sunshine Coast Collective is an umbrella group, comprised of 23 local organisations that are concerned with supporting local families. It is an initiative of the Sunshine Coast Local Level Alliance, which is funded by Queensland’s Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs and delivered by the auspicing body, Act for Kids. See more at sunshinecoastfamilies.com.au/AboutUs/AboutUs-373/.
